An object contains a public static field that is not marked final, which might allow it to be modified in unexpected ways.
Public static variables can be read without an accessor and changed without a mutator by any classes in the application.

Primary

When a field is declared public but not final, the field can be read and written to by arbitrary Java code.

Implementation

High

Integrity
Modify Application Data
The object could potentially be tampered with.

Confidentiality
Read Application Data
The object could potentially allow the object to be read.

Automated Static Analysis
Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)
High

Architecture and Design
Clearly identify the scope for all critical data elements, including whether they should be regarded as static.

Implementation

Make any static fields private and constant.
A constant field is denoted by the keyword 'const' in C/C++ and ' final' in Java

The following examples use of a public static String variable to contain the name of a property/configuration file for the application.

class SomeAppClass {

public:static string appPropertiesConfigFile = "app/properties.config";
...
}

public class SomeAppClass {

public static String appPropertiesFile = "app/Application.properties";...
}

Having a public static variable that is not marked final (constant) may allow the variable to the altered in a way not intended by the application. In this example the String variable can be modified to indicate a different on nonexistent properties file which could cause the application to crash or caused unexpected behavior.

class SomeAppClass {

public:static const string appPropertiesConfigFile = "app/properties.config";
...
}

public class SomeAppClass {

public static final String appPropertiesFile = "app/Application.properties";...
}

Overflow of static internal buffer

OBJ10-J
Do not use public static nonfinal variables

SFP28
Unexpected access points

Allowed
This CWE entry is at the Variant level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities.
Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is an appropriate fit. Do not try to 'force' a mapping to a lower-level Base/Variant simply to comply with this preferred level of abstraction.

CLASP
2006-07-19
Draft 3
2006-07-19

Eric Dalci
Cigital
2008-07-01
updated Time_of_Introduction

KDM Analytics
2008-08-01
added/updated white box definitions

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2008-09-08
updated Applicable_Platforms, Common_Consequences, Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2008-11-05
Significant clarification of this entry, and improved examples.

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2008-11-24
updated Background_Details, Demonstrative_Examples, Description, Name, Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2009-05-27
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2011-06-01
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2012-05-11
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2012-10-30
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Description, Potential_Mitigations

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2014-07-30
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2017-11-08
updated White_Box_Definitions

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2019-01-03
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-02-24
updated References, Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-04-27
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-06-29
updated Mapping_Notes

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2025-12-11
4.19
2025-12-11
updated Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities

Overflow of Static Internal Buffer
Static Field Not Marked Final