Base weakness

Draft

CWE-274: Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges

The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when it has insufficient privileges to perform an operation, leading to resultant weaknesses.

Last updated May 1, 2026

37

Recorded CVEs

With this primary weakness

0

KEVs

In the CISA KEV catalog

Not rated

Likelihood of exploit

Per MITRE

Base

Abstraction

MITRE classification

Overview

CWE-274 (Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges) is a base-level software weakness catalogued by MITRE in the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE). It describes a recurring type of mistake that can lead to exploitable security vulnerabilities.

Real-world CVEs

37 recorded CVEs are caused by CWE-274 (Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges). The highest-severity and most recent are shown first. 2 new CWE-274 CVEs have been recorded so far in 2026 (5 in 2025).

CVE-2020-7266

High · CVSS 8.8

2020-05-08

CVE-2020-7265

Privilege Escalation vulnerability through symbolic links in ENSM

Privilege Escalation vulnerability in MAR for Linux

High · CVSS 7.8

2020-05-08

CVE-2020-7291

Privilege Escalation vulnerability MAR for Mac

High · CVSS 7.8

2020-05-08

Showing 12 of 37 recorded CWE-274 CVEs. Track new ones as they are published and get AI-written analysis and fixes.

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Common consequences

What can happen when CWE-274 is exploited.

Other, Alter Execution Logic

Affects: Other

How it happens

When it is introduced

Typically introduced during these phases of the software lifecycle.

Implementation

Operation

How to detect it

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

Illustrative examples

Real CVEs that MITRE cites as examples of this weakness.

CVE-2001-1564 — System limits are not properly enforced after privileges are dropped.
CVE-2005-3286 — Firewall crashes when it can't read a critical memory block that was protected by a malicious process.
CVE-2005-1641 — Does not give admin sufficient privileges to overcome otherwise legitimate user actions.

Terminology & mappings

Mapped taxonomies

PLOVER: Insufficient privileges

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about CWE-274.

What is CWE-274?

The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when it has insufficient privileges to perform an operation, leading to resultant weaknesses.

What CVEs are caused by CWE-274?

37 recorded CVEs are attributed to CWE-274, including CVE-2025-20156, CVE-2024-0105, CVE-2020-7267.

How is CWE-274 detected?

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.)

What are the consequences of CWE-274?

Exploiting CWE-274 can lead to: Other, Alter Execution Logic.

Is CWE-274 actively exploited?

37 recorded CVEs are caused by CWE-274; none are currently in CISA's KEV catalog of actively exploited flaws.

References

Weakness data is sourced from the MITRE CWE catalog (v4.20). CVE associations are aggregated and kept current by RadicalNotion.AI.

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Overview

Real-world CVEs

Common consequences

How it happens

When it is introduced

How to detect it

Automated Static Analysis

Illustrative examples

Related weaknesses

Parent

Peer

Can also be

Terminology & mappings

Mapped taxonomies

Frequently asked questions

What is CWE-274?

What CVEs are caused by CWE-274?

How is CWE-274 detected?

What are the consequences of CWE-274?

Is CWE-274 actively exploited?

References

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