The product does not properly manage privileges while it is switching between different contexts that have different privileges or spheres of control.

Primary

Resultant

Architecture and Design

Implementation
REALIZATION: This weakness is caused during implementation of an architectural security tactic.

Operation

Access Control
Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
A user can assume the identity of another user with separate privileges in another context. This will give the user unauthorized access that may allow them to acquire the access information of other users.

Architecture and Design
Operation
Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.

Architecture and Design
Operation
Environment Hardening
Run your code using the lowest privileges that are required to accomplish the necessary tasks [REF-76]. If possible, create isolated accounts with limited privileges that are only used for a single task. That way, a successful attack will not immediately give the attacker access to the rest of the software or its environment. For example, database applications rarely need to run as the database administrator, especially in day-to-day operations.

Architecture and Design
Separation of Privilege
Consider following the principle of separation of privilege. Require multiple conditions to be met before permitting access to a system resource.

CVE-2002-1688
Web browser cross domain problem when user hits "back" button.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-1688

CVE-2003-1026
Web browser cross domain problem when user hits "back" button.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2003-1026

CVE-2002-1770
Cross-domain issue - third party product passes code to web browser, which executes it in unsafe zone.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-1770

CVE-2005-2263
Run callback in different security context after it has been changed from untrusted to trusted. * note that "context switch before actions are completed" is one type of problem that happens frequently, espec. in browsers.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2005-2263

Privilege Context Switching Error

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.

This concept needs more study.

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 Description, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2009-12-28
updated Potential_Mitigations

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2010-02-16
updated References

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2010-06-21
updated Potential_Mitigations

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2011-06-01
updated Common_Consequences

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2012-10-30
updated Potential_Mitigations, References

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2014-02-18
updated Related_Attack_Patterns

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2018-03-27
updated References

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-02-24
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2022-04-28
updated Related_Attack_Patterns

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2022-10-13
updated References

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-01-31
updated Description

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-06-29
updated Mapping_Notes

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