CWE-521 Weak Password Requirements – Detailed Weakness Analysis

Explore CAPEC attack patterns referencing this CWE.

What is CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration)?

The Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) is a community-developed list of common software and hardware weaknesses. By identifying these weaknesses, developers and security practitioners can prioritize and address potential vulnerabilities early in the development cycle. Explore our comprehensive CWE list below to better understand and mitigate common security issues.

CAPEC Patterns referencing CWE-521

Below is a list of CAPEC attack patterns associated with this CWE-521. Click on each CAPEC to learn more. The right column shows the related weaknesses (including this one).

CAPEC

Related Weaknesses

CWE-326	Inadequate Encryption Strength
CWE-330	Use of Insufficiently Random Values
CWE-521	Weak Password Requirements

Dictionary-based Password Attack

CWE-262	Not Using Password Aging
CWE-263	Password Aging with Long Expiration
CWE-307	Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts
CWE-308	Use of Single-factor Authentication
CWE-309	Use of Password System for Primary Authentication
CWE-521	Weak Password Requirements
CWE-654	Reliance on a Single Factor in a Security Decision

Password Brute Forcing

CWE-257	Storing Passwords in a Recoverable Format
CWE-262	Not Using Password Aging
CWE-263	Password Aging with Long Expiration
CWE-307	Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts
CWE-308	Use of Single-factor Authentication
CWE-309	Use of Password System for Primary Authentication
CWE-521	Weak Password Requirements
CWE-654	Reliance on a Single Factor in a Security Decision

CWE-262	Not Using Password Aging
CWE-263	Password Aging with Long Expiration
CWE-294	Authentication Bypass by Capture-replay
CWE-308	Use of Single-factor Authentication
CWE-309	Use of Password System for Primary Authentication
CWE-521	Weak Password Requirements
CWE-522	Insufficiently Protected Credentials

Rainbow Table Password Cracking

CWE-261	Weak Encoding for Password
CWE-262	Not Using Password Aging
CWE-263	Password Aging with Long Expiration
CWE-308	Use of Single-factor Authentication
CWE-309	Use of Password System for Primary Authentication
CWE-521	Weak Password Requirements
CWE-654	Reliance on a Single Factor in a Security Decision
CWE-916	Use of Password Hash With Insufficient Computational Effort

Remote Services with Stolen Credentials

CWE-262	Not Using Password Aging
CWE-263	Password Aging with Long Expiration
CWE-294	Authentication Bypass by Capture-replay
CWE-308	Use of Single-factor Authentication
CWE-309	Use of Password System for Primary Authentication
CWE-521	Weak Password Requirements
CWE-522	Insufficiently Protected Credentials

Windows Admin Shares with Stolen Credentials

CWE-262	Not Using Password Aging
CWE-263	Password Aging with Long Expiration
CWE-294	Authentication Bypass by Capture-replay
CWE-308	Use of Single-factor Authentication
CWE-309	Use of Password System for Primary Authentication
CWE-521	Weak Password Requirements
CWE-522	Insufficiently Protected Credentials

Password Spraying

CWE-262	Not Using Password Aging
CWE-263	Password Aging with Long Expiration
CWE-307	Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts
CWE-308	Use of Single-factor Authentication
CWE-309	Use of Password System for Primary Authentication
CWE-521	Weak Password Requirements
CWE-654	Reliance on a Single Factor in a Security Decision

Try Common or Default Usernames and Passwords

CWE-262	Not Using Password Aging
CWE-263	Password Aging with Long Expiration
CWE-308	Use of Single-factor Authentication
CWE-309	Use of Password System for Primary Authentication
CWE-521	Weak Password Requirements
CWE-654	Reliance on a Single Factor in a Security Decision
CWE-798	Use of Hard-coded Credentials

About CWE-521: Weak Password Requirements

CWE-521 is one of the established Common Weakness Enumerations that identifies a specific type of vulnerability in software. Detailed analysis of CWE-521 helps organizations understand the risks associated with this weakness and implement effective countermeasures.

Explore related attack patterns, best practices, and expert recommendations on this page. By understanding CWE-521, you can enhance your security posture and better protect your applications against exploitation.