CWE-589
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Name: Call to Non-ubiquitous API
The product uses an API function that does not exist on all versions of the target platform. This could cause portability problems or inconsistencies that allow denial of service or other consequences.
CWE Description
Some functions that offer security features supported by the OS are not available on all versions of the OS in common use. Likewise, functions are often deprecated or made obsolete for security reasons and should not be used.
General Informations
Modes Of Introduction
Architecture and DesignImplementation
Common Consequences
| Scope | Impact | Likelihood |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Quality Degradation |
Potential Mitigations
Phases : ImplementationAlways test your code on any platform on which it is targeted to run on.
Phases : Testing
Test your code on the newest and oldest platform on which it is targeted to run on.
Phases : Testing
Develop a system to test for API functions that are not portable.
Detection Methods
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.)Effectiveness : High
Vulnerability Mapping Notes
Justification : 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.Comment : 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.
Related Attack Patterns
| CAPEC-ID | Attack Pattern Name |
|---|---|
| CAPEC-96 | Block Access to Libraries An application typically makes calls to functions that are a part of libraries external to the application. These libraries may be part of the operating system or they may be third party libraries. It is possible that the application does not handle situations properly where access to these libraries has been blocked. Depending on the error handling within the application, blocked access to libraries may leave the system in an insecure state that could be leveraged by an attacker. |
Submission
| Name | Organization | Date | Date release | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | Draft 5 |
Modifications
| Name | Organization | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Dalci | Cigital | updated Time_of_Introduction | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Relationships, Other_Notes | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Description | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Common_Consequences | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Potential_Mitigations | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Relationships | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings, Weakness_Ordinalities | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Relationships | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Description | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Detection_Factors, Relationships | |
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | updated Mapping_Notes |
