Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-103

Weakness Allowed

Struts: Incomplete validate() Method Definition

Abstraction: Variant · Status: Draft

API response cwe.mitre.org

The product has a validator form that either does not define a validate() method, or defines a validate() method but does not call super.validate().

Mapping guidance

This CWE entry is at the Variant level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities.

Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is an appropriate fit. Do not try to 'force' a mapping to a lower-level Base/Variant simply to comply with this preferred level of abstraction.

Relationships and members
ChildOf: CWE-573 · View CWE-1000
ChildOf: CWE-20 · View CWE-700
Modes of introduction
Implementation
Detection methods

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

Notes

Relationship

This could introduce other weaknesses related to missing input validation.

Maintenance

The current description implies a loose composite of two separate weaknesses, so this node might need to be split or converted into a low-level category.

Content history
Submission: 7 Pernicious Kingdoms · 2006-07-19 · CWE Draft 3
Modification: Eric Dalci · Cigital · 2008-07-01 · CWE 1.0

updated Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2008-09-08 · CWE 1.0

updated Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings, Weakness_Ordinalities

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2008-10-14 · CWE 1.0.1

updated Description, Maintenance_Notes

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2008-11-24 · CWE 1.1

updated Background_Details, Common_Consequences, Description, Other_Notes, Relationship_Notes

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2009-03-10 · CWE 1.3

updated Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2009-12-28 · CWE 1.7

updated Common_Consequences, Other_Notes

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2010-06-21 · CWE 1.9

updated Demonstrative_Examples

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2010-12-13 · CWE 1.11

updated Description

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2011-06-01 · CWE 1.13

updated Common_Consequences

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2012-05-11 · CWE 2.2

updated Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2012-10-30 · CWE 2.3

updated Potential_Mitigations

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2014-07-30 · CWE 2.8

updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2017-11-08 · CWE 3.0

updated Causal_Nature, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2020-02-24 · CWE 4.0

updated References, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2021-07-20 · CWE 4.5

updated Background_Details, Description

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2023-01-31 · CWE 4.10

updated Common_Consequences, Description

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2023-04-27 · CWE 4.11

updated Detection_Factors, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2023-06-29 · CWE 4.12

updated Mapping_Notes

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2025-12-11 · CWE 4.19

updated Common_Consequences, Description, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2026-10-28 · CWE 5.0

updated References

0 vulnerabilities reference this CWE, most recent first.

No vulnerabilities reference this CWE.

Mitigation
Implementation

Implement the validate() method and call super.validate() within that method.

No CAPEC attack patterns related to this CWE.

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