CWE -
CWE-346: Origin Validation Error (4.19.1)
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CWE-346: Origin Validation Error (4.19.1)
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CWE Glossary Definition
CWE-346: Origin Validation Error
Weakness ID: 346
Vulnerability Mapping
ALLOWED
This CWE ID could be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities in limited situations requiring careful review
(with careful review of mapping notes)
Abstraction:
Class
Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource.
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Description
The product does not properly verify that the source of data or communication is valid.
Common Consequences
This table specifies different individual consequences
associated with the weakness. The Scope identifies the application security area that is
violated, while the Impact describes the negative technical impact that arises if an
adversary succeeds in exploiting this weakness. The Likelihood provides information about
how likely the specific consequence is expected to be seen relative to the other
consequences in the list. For example, there may be high likelihood that a weakness will be
exploited to achieve a certain impact, but a low likelihood that it will be exploited to
achieve a different impact.
Impact
Details
Gain Privileges or Assume Identity; Varies by Context
Scope: Access Control, Other
An attacker can access any functionality that is inadvertently accessible to the source.
Relationships
This table shows the weaknesses and high level categories that are related to this
weakness. These relationships are defined as ChildOf, ParentOf, MemberOf and give insight to
similar items that may exist at higher and lower levels of abstraction. In addition,
relationships such as PeerOf and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user
may want to explore.
Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature
Type
ID
Name
ChildOf
Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things.
284
Improper Access Control
ChildOf
Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource.
345
Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity
ParentOf
Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource.
940
Improper Verification of Source of a Communication Channel
ParentOf
Variant - a weakness that is linked to a certain type of product, typically involving a specific language or technology. More specific than a Base weakness. Variant level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 3 to 5 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource.
1385
Missing Origin Validation in WebSockets
PeerOf
Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource.
451
User Interface (UI) Misrepresentation of Critical Information
Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature
Type
ID
Name
MemberOf
Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.
417
Communication Channel Errors
MemberOf
Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.
1214
Data Integrity Issues
Relevant to the view "Weaknesses for Simplified Mapping of Published Vulnerabilities" (View-1003)
Nature
Type
ID
Name
ChildOf
Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource.
345
Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity
Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature
Type
ID
Name
MemberOf
Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.
1014
Identify Actors
Modes
Of Introduction
The different Modes of Introduction provide information
about how and when this
weakness may be introduced. The Phase identifies a point in the life cycle at which
introduction
may occur, while the Note provides a typical scenario related to introduction during the
given
phase.
Phase
Note
Architecture and Design
Implementation
REALIZATION: This weakness is caused during implementation of an architectural security tactic.
Applicable Platforms
This listing shows possible areas for which the given
weakness could appear. These
may be for specific named Languages, Operating Systems, Architectures, Paradigms,
Technologies,
or a class of such platforms. The platform is listed along with how frequently the given
weakness appears for that instance.
Languages
Class: Not Language-Specific
(Undetermined Prevalence)
Technologies
Class: Not Technology-Specific
(Undetermined Prevalence)
Class: Web Based
(Undetermined Prevalence)
Demonstrative Examples
Example 1
This Android application will remove a user account when it receives an intent to do so:
(bad code)
Example Language:
Java
IntentFilter filter = new IntentFilter("com.example.RemoveUser");
MyReceiver receiver = new MyReceiver();
registerReceiver(receiver, filter);
public class DeleteReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
@Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
int userID = intent.getIntExtra("userID");
destroyUserData(userID);
This application does not check the origin of the intent, thus allowing any malicious application to remove a user. Always check the origin of an intent, or create an allowlist of trusted applications using the manifest.xml file.
Example 2
These Android and iOS applications intercept URL loading within a WebView and perform special actions if a particular URL scheme is used, thus allowing the Javascript within the WebView to communicate with the application:
(bad code)
Example Language:
Java
// Android
@Override
public boolean shouldOverrideUrlLoading(WebView view, String url){
if (url.substring(0,14).equalsIgnoreCase("examplescheme:")){
if(url.substring(14,25).equalsIgnoreCase("getUserInfo")){
writeDataToView(view, UserData);
return false;
else{
return true;
(bad code)
Example Language:
Objective-C
// iOS
-(BOOL) webView:(UIWebView *)exWebView shouldStartLoadWithRequest:(NSURLRequest *)exRequest navigationType:(UIWebViewNavigationType)exNavigationType
NSURL *URL = [exRequest URL];
if ([[URL scheme] isEqualToString:@"exampleScheme"])
NSString *functionString = [URL resourceSpecifier];
if ([functionString hasPrefix:@"specialFunction"])
// Make data available back in webview.
UIWebView *webView = [self writeDataToView:[URL query]];
return NO;
return YES;
A call into native code can then be initiated by passing parameters within the URL:
(attack code)
Example Language:
JavaScript
window.location = examplescheme://method?parameter=value
Because the application does not check the source, a malicious website loaded within this WebView has the same access to the API as a trusted site.
Selected Observed
Examples
Note: this is a curated list of examples for users to understand the variety of ways in which this
weakness can be introduced. It is not a complete list of all CVEs that are related to this CWE entry.
Reference
Description
CVE-2000-1218
DNS server can accept DNS updates from hosts that it did not query, leading to cache poisoning
CVE-2018-6074
Browser does not set Mark-of-the-Web (MotW) for a downloaded .EXE file if the name is close to the maximum path length, preventing recording of a zone identifier in the filename
CVE-2025-0411
Zip file extraction program does not propagate Mark-of-the-Web (MotW) metadata to files that are extracted from an Internet-downloaded Zip file
CVE-2025-46652
Zip file extraction program does not propagate Mark-of-the-Web (MotW) metadata to files that are extracted from an Internet-downloaded Zip file
CVE-2005-0877
DNS server can accept DNS updates from hosts that it did not query, leading to cache poisoning
CVE-2001-1452
DNS server caches glue records received from non-delegated name servers
CVE-2005-2188
user ID obtained from untrusted source (URL)
CVE-2003-0174
LDAP service does not verify if a particular attribute was set by the LDAP server
CVE-1999-1549
product does not sufficiently distinguish external HTML from internal, potentially dangerous HTML, allowing bypass using special strings in the page title. Overlaps special elements.
CVE-2003-0981
product records the reverse DNS name of a visitor in the logs, allowing spoofing and resultant XSS.
Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality
Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
Detection
Methods
Method
Details
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.)
Memberships
This MemberOf Relationships table shows additional CWE Categories and Views that
reference this weakness as a member. This information is often useful in understanding where a
weakness fits within the context of external information sources.
Nature
Type
ID
Name
MemberOf
Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.
949
SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication
MemberOf
Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.
1353
OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A07:2021 - Identification and Authentication Failures
MemberOf
Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.
1382
ICS Operations (& Maintenance): Emerging Energy Technologies
MemberOf
Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.
1411
Comprehensive Categorization: Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity
MemberOf
Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.
1442
OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
Vulnerability Mapping Notes
Usage
ALLOWED-WITH-REVIEW
(this CWE ID could be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities in limited situations requiring careful review)
Reason
Abstraction
Rationale
This CWE entry is a Class and might have Base-level children that would be more appropriate
Comments
Examine children of this entry to see if there is a better fit
Notes
Terminology
The "Origin Validation Error" term was originally used in a 1995 thesis [
REF-324
]. Although not formally defined, an issue is considered to be an origin validation error if either (1) "an object [accepts] input from an unauthorized subject," or (2) "the system [fails] to properly or completely authenticate a subject." A later section says that an origin validation error can occur when the system (1) "does not properly authenticate a user or process" or (2) "does not properly authenticate the shared data or libraries." The only example provided in the thesis (covered by OSVDB:57615) involves a setuid program running command-line arguments without dropping privileges. So, this definition (and its examples in the thesis) effectively cover other weaknesses such as
CWE-287
(Improper Authentication),
CWE-285
(Improper Authorization), and
CWE-250
(Execution with Unnecessary Privileges). There appears to be little usage of this term today, except in the SecurityFocus vulnerability database, where the term is used for a variety of issues, including web-browser problems that allow violation of the Same Origin Policy and improper validation of the source of an incoming message.
Maintenance
This entry has some significant overlap with other CWE entries and may need some clarification. See terminology notes.
Taxonomy
Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name
Node ID
Fit
Mapped Node Name
PLOVER
Origin Validation Error
ISA/IEC 62443
Part 3-3
Req SR 2.12 RE(1)
ISA/IEC 62443
Part 4-1
Req SD-1
ISA/IEC 62443
Part 4-1
Req SR-2
ISA/IEC 62443
Part 4-1
Req SVV-1
ISA/IEC 62443
Part 4-2
Req CR 2.12 RE(1)
ISA/IEC 62443
Part 4-2
Req CR 3.1 RE(1)
Related Attack Patterns
CAPEC-ID
Attack Pattern Name
CAPEC-111
JSON Hijacking (aka JavaScript Hijacking)
CAPEC-141
Cache Poisoning
CAPEC-142
DNS Cache Poisoning
CAPEC-160
Exploit Script-Based APIs
CAPEC-21
Exploitation of Trusted Identifiers
CAPEC-384
Application API Message Manipulation via Man-in-the-Middle
CAPEC-385
Transaction or Event Tampering via Application API Manipulation
CAPEC-386
Application API Navigation Remapping
CAPEC-387
Navigation Remapping To Propagate Malicious Content
CAPEC-388
Application API Button Hijacking
CAPEC-510
SaaS User Request Forgery
CAPEC-59
Session Credential Falsification through Prediction
CAPEC-60
Reusing Session IDs (aka Session Replay)
CAPEC-75
Manipulating Writeable Configuration Files
CAPEC-76
Manipulating Web Input to File System Calls
CAPEC-89
Pharming
References
[REF-324]
Taimur Aslam. "A Taxonomy of Security Faults in the UNIX Operating System". 1995-08-01.
>.
URL validated: 2024-11-17
Content
History
Submissions
Submission Date
Submitter
Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
Contributions
Contribution Date
Contributor
Organization
2023-04-25
"Mapping CWE to 62443" Sub-Working Group
CWE-CAPEC ICS/OT SIG
Suggested mappings to ISA/IEC 62443.
Modifications
Modification Date
Modifier
Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Detection_Factors, Relationships
2025-09-09
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2024-11-19
(CWE 4.16, 2024-11-19)
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated References
2024-02-29
(CWE 4.14, 2024-02-29)
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Taxonomy_Mappings
2023-06-29
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes, Relationships
2023-04-27
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2023-01-31
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Description, Type
2022-04-28
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-10-28
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-06-25
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Terminology_Notes
2020-02-24
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-06-20
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships
2017-11-08
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Modes_of_Introduction, References, Relationships
2014-07-30
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-06-23
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2014-02-18
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Maintenance_Notes, References, Relationship_Notes, Relationships, Terminology_Notes
2012-05-11
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships
2011-06-27
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2010-12-13
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2009-05-27
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2008-09-08
CWE Content Team
MITRE
updated Relationships, Relationship_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings, Weakness_Ordinalities
2008-07-01
Eric Dalci
Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
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Page Last Updated:
January 21, 2026
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