CWE-756: Missing Custom Error Page
The product does not return custom error pages to the user, possibly exposing sensitive information.
Last updated
Overview
CWE-756 (Missing Custom Error Page) 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
3 recorded CVEs are caused by CWE-756 (Missing Custom Error Page). The highest-severity and most recent are shown first.
Common consequences
What can happen when CWE-756 is exploited.
Read Application Data
Affects: Confidentiality
Attackers can leverage the additional information provided by a default error page to mount attacks targeted on the framework, database, or other resources used by the application.
How it happens
When it is introduced
Typically introduced during these phases of the software lifecycle.
Applies to
Technologies
Code examples
Illustrative examples from MITRE showing how the weakness appears in code.
In the snippet below, an unchecked runtime exception thrown from within the try block may cause the container to display its default error page (which may contain a full stack trace, among other things).
Vulnerable example
Public void doPost(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) throws ServletException, IOException {The mode attribute of the tag in the Web.config file defines whether custom or default error pages are used.
Vulnerable example
<customErrors mode="Off" />Safe example
<customErrors mode="RemoteOnly" />Safe example
<customErrors mode="On" defaultRedirect="YourErrorPage.htm" />Illustrative examples
Real CVEs that MITRE cites as examples of this weakness.
- CVE-2023-27998 — analytics platform does not have a custom error page, allowing access to sensitive information
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about CWE-756.
- What is CWE-756?
- The product does not return custom error pages to the user, possibly exposing sensitive information.
- What CVEs are caused by CWE-756?
- 3 recorded CVEs are attributed to CWE-756, including CVE-2018-8913, CVE-2023-27998, CVE-2022-3175.
- What are the consequences of CWE-756?
- Exploiting CWE-756 can lead to: Read Application Data.
- Is CWE-756 actively exploited?
- 3 recorded CVEs are caused by CWE-756; none are currently in CISA's KEV catalog of actively exploited flaws.
References
- MITRE CWE definition (CWE-756) (opens in a new tab)
- CWE-756 vulnerabilities on NVD (opens in a new tab)
- Learn: What is a CWE?
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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