During installation, installed file permissions are set to allow anyone to modify those files.

Primary

Architecture and Design

Implementation

Installation

Operation

Medium

Confidentiality
Integrity
Read Application Data
Modify Application Data

Automated Static Analysis - Binary or Bytecode

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Cost effective for partial coverage:

Inter-application Flow Analysis

SOAR Partial

Manual Static Analysis - Binary or Bytecode

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Cost effective for partial coverage:

Binary / Bytecode disassembler - then use manual analysis for vulnerabilities & anomalies

SOAR Partial

Dynamic Analysis with Automated Results Interpretation

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Cost effective for partial coverage:

Host-based Vulnerability Scanners - Examine configuration for flaws, verifying that audit mechanisms work, ensure host configuration meets certain predefined criteria
Web Application Scanner
Web Services Scanner
Database Scanners

SOAR Partial

Dynamic Analysis with Manual Results Interpretation

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Highly cost effective:

Host Application Interface Scanner

Cost effective for partial coverage:

Fuzz Tester
Framework-based Fuzzer
Automated Monitored Execution
Forced Path Execution

High

Manual Static Analysis - Source Code

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Highly cost effective:

Manual Source Code Review (not inspections)

Cost effective for partial coverage:

Focused Manual Spotcheck - Focused manual analysis of source

High

Automated Static Analysis - Source Code

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Cost effective for partial coverage:

Context-configured Source Code Weakness Analyzer

SOAR Partial

Automated Static Analysis

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Cost effective for partial coverage:

Configuration Checker

SOAR Partial

Architecture or Design Review

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Highly cost effective:

Formal Methods / Correct-By-Construction

Cost effective for partial coverage:

Inspection (IEEE 1028 standard) (can apply to requirements, design, source code, etc.)

High

Architecture and Design
Operation
The architecture needs to access and modification attributes for files to only those users who actually require those actions.

Architecture and Design
Separation of Privilege

Compartmentalize the system to have "safe" areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area.
Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.

CVE-2005-1941
Executables installed world-writable.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2005-1941

CVE-2002-1713
Home directories installed world-readable.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-1713

CVE-2001-1550
World-writable log files allow information loss; world-readable file has cleartext passwords.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2001-1550

CVE-2002-1711
World-readable directory.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-1711

CVE-2002-1844
Windows product uses insecure permissions when installing on Solaris (genesis: port error).
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-1844

CVE-2001-0497
Insecure permissions for a shared secret key file. Overlaps cryptographic problem.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2001-0497

CVE-1999-0426
Default permissions of a device allow IP spoofing.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-1999-0426

Insecure Default Permissions

FIO06-C
Create files with appropriate access permissions

FIO01-J
Create files with appropriate access permission

Part 2-4
Req SP.03.08

Part 4-2
Req CR 2.1

Allowed
This CWE entry is at the Base 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.

As of CWE 4.19, this entry is
being considered for deprecation or significant
revision. Its name and description are inconsistent. The
name is more general, and the description is more
specific. The description emphasizes the installation
phase only; mentions only files; and emphasizes
modification of those files. The name applies to any type
of resource, does not mention the specific permissions,
and could be relevant to any SDLC phase.

PLOVER
2006-07-19
Draft 3
2006-07-19

Eric Dalci
Cigital
2008-07-01
updated Time_of_Introduction

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2008-09-08
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings, Weakness_Ordinalities

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2008-11-24
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2009-05-27
updated Description, Name

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2011-09-13
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2012-10-30
updated Potential_Mitigations

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2017-05-03
updated Related_Attack_Patterns

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2017-11-08
updated Applicable_Platforms, Causal_Nature, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2019-06-20
updated Relationships, Type

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-02-24
updated Applicable_Platforms, Description, Detection_Factors, Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-08-20
updated Description, Modes_of_Introduction, Potential_Mitigations

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-12-10
updated Potential_Mitigations

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2021-07-20
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2021-10-28
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2022-04-28
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2022-06-28
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-01-31
updated Applicable_Platforms

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-06-29
updated Mapping_Notes, Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2025-09-09
4.18
2025-09-09
updated Detection_Factors, References

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2026-01-21
4.19.1
2026-01-21
updated Relationships

"Mapping CWE to 62443" Sub-Working Group
CWE-CAPEC ICS/OT SIG
2023-04-25
Suggested mappings to ISA/IEC 62443.

Abhi Balakrishnan
2024-09-29
4.19
2025-12-11
Contributed usability diagram concepts used by the CWE team

Insecure Default Permissions