Decoding the 2024 CWE top 25
Every year, the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) Top 25 provides a critical look at the software flaws posing the greatest threats to organizations. The 2024 list, compiled by MITRE and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), introduced a new methodology that accounts for both the severity and frequency of weaknesses.
While this shake-up led to minor changes in rankings, the persistent "usual suspects" remain a dominant threat, underscoring the ongoing need for investment in secure coding practices.
A methodology shift
For the first time, the 2024 CWE list incorporated a dual focus on the severity and frequency of vulnerabilities. According to MITRE’s methodology, this approach prioritizes weaknesses that are both prevalent and impactful.
MITRE explains:
"Weaknesses that were rarely discovered will not receive a high frequency score, regardless of the typical consequence associated with any exploitation. Weaknesses that are both common and caused significant harm will receive the highest scores."
This refined perspective aims to provide organizations with a more actionable guide for addressing vulnerabilities in their systems and processes.
The top 5 weaknesses in 2024
The 2024 CWE Top 25 list is led by familiar vulnerabilities, emphasizing the enduring risks posed by poor input validation and memory management.
Improper neutralization of input during web page generation (Cross-Site Scripting - XSS) (CWE-79)
Rank: #1 (up from #2 in 2023)
Why it matters: XSS attacks exploit improperly sanitized inputs, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages, compromising user data and session integrity.
Out-of-bounds write (CWE-787)
Rank: #2 (down from #1 in 2023)
Why it matters: These memory corruption flaws can allow attackers to overwrite critical data, crash systems, or execute arbitrary code.
Improper neutralization of special elements in SQL commands (SQL injection - CWE-89)
Rank: #3 (unchanged from 2023)
Why it matters: By exploiting poorly sanitized database queries, attackers can manipulate data or gain unauthorized access.
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF - CWE-352)
Rank: #4 (up from #9 in 2023)
Why it matters: CSRF attacks trick users into performing unintended actions on web applications, often leading to unauthorized transactions or changes.
Improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory (Path traversal - CWE-22)
Rank: #5 (up from #8 in 2023)
Why it matters: Exploiting this vulnerability allows attackers to access unauthorized files and directories, potentially exposing sensitive data.
Insights from the rankings
Despite advancements in security practices, vulnerabilities like XSS (CWE-79), SQL injection (CWE-89), and Out-of-bounds write (CWE-787) remain at the top of the list. These weaknesses have been fixtures in the CWE Top 25 for years, highlighting the challenges organizations face in eradicating them.
Alec Summers, Project leader for the CVE program at MITRE:
"It’s an ongoing concern that these and other stubborn weaknesses remain high on the Top 25 consistently."
The CSRF surge
One of the most notable shifts this year was CSRF climbing from #9 in 2023 to #4 in 2024. This unexpected rise may be attributed to:
Increased attention from vulnerability researchers.
Enhanced detection mechanisms.
Greater exploitation by attackers.
Emerging challenges in complex systems
As the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and software supply chains grow more intricate, weaknesses in commonly used tools and libraries are becoming more critical. Addressing these issues requires a proactive approach to security throughout the development and procurement processes.
Actionable recommendations for organizations
To combat the risks highlighted by the CWE Top 25, organizations should focus on integrating security into every stage of the development process.
1. Prioritize secure coding practices
Sanitize inputs: Always validate and sanitize user inputs to prevent XSS, SQL Injection, and CSRF vulnerabilities.
Adopt secure libraries: Use well-maintained libraries and frameworks with built-in protections against common weaknesses.
2. Embrace automation in security testing
Deploy automated tools like Beagle Security to continuously identify vulnerabilities in web applications, APIs, and GraphQL endpoints.
Focus on both static (SAST) and dynamic (DAST) application security testing.
3. Conduct regular security audits
Perform regular penetration testing to uncover hidden vulnerabilities.
Review and update security configurations across all systems and environments.
4. Strengthen authentication and authorization
Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for critical systems.
Implement robust role-based access controls (RBAC) to limit unnecessary privileges.
5. Stay current with threat intelligence
Monitor security advisories and apply patches promptly for known vulnerabilities.
Use the CWE Top 25 as a benchmark to guide your security investments and development priorities.
How Beagle Security can help
Beagle Security is designed to address vulnerabilities identified in the CWE Top 25 and beyond. With our AI-powered penetration testing capabilities, we empower organizations to:
Detect and remediate weaknesses like XSS, SQL Injection, and CSRF.
Integrate security seamlessly into CI/CD pipelines.
Generate actionable reports for effective vulnerability management.
Wrapping up
The 2024 CWE top 25 serves as a wake-up call for organizations to remain vigilant against persistent and emerging vulnerabilities. By understanding these weaknesses and adopting best practices, organizations can reduce their risk exposure and enhance application security.
Summers concludes:
"Organizations are strongly encouraged to review and leverage the list as a guiding resource for shaping their software security strategies. By prioritizing them in both development and procurement processes, organizations can more proactively address risk."
Are you ready to tackle the Top 25?
References:
https://cwe.mitre.org/top25/archive/2024/2024_cwe_top25.html