CWE - CWE-491: Public cloneable() Method Without Final ('Object Hijack') (4.18)

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CWE Glossary Definition

CWE-491: Public cloneable() Method Without Final ('Object Hijack')

Weakness ID: 491

Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: Variant 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.

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Description

A class has a cloneable() method that is not declared final, which allows an object to be created without calling the constructor. This can cause the object to be in an unexpected state.

Common Consequences

Section HelpThis 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
Unexpected State; Varies by Context	Scope: Integrity, Other

Potential Mitigations

Phase(s)	Mitigation
Implementation	Make the cloneable() method final.

Relationships

Section Help 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	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.	668	Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere

Modes Of Introduction

Section HelpThe 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
Implementation

Applicable Platforms

Section HelpThis 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

Java (Undetermined Prevalence)

Demonstrative Examples

Example 1

In this example, a public class "BankAccount" implements the cloneable() method which declares "Object clone(string accountnumber)":

(bad code)

Example Language: Java

public class BankAccount implements Cloneable{

public Object clone(String accountnumber) throws
CloneNotSupportedException
{

Object returnMe = new BankAccount(account number);
...

}

Example 2

In the example below, a clone() method is defined without being declared final.

(bad code)

Example Language: Java

protected Object clone() throws CloneNotSupportedException {

...

}

Memberships

Section HelpThis 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	CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.	485	7PK - Encapsulation
MemberOf	CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.	849	The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 6 - Object Orientation (OBJ)
MemberOf	CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.	1002	SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points
MemberOf	CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.	1139	SEI CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java - Guidelines 05. Object Orientation (OBJ)
MemberOf	CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.	1403	Comprehensive Categorization: Exposed Resource

Vulnerability Mapping Notes

Usage ALLOWED

(this CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities)

Reason Acceptable-Use

Rationale

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.

Comments

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.

Taxonomy Mappings

Mapped Taxonomy Name	Node ID	Fit
7 Pernicious Kingdoms	Mobile Code: Object Hijack
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011)	OBJ07-J	Sensitive classes must not let themselves be copied
Software Fault Patterns	SFP28	Unexpected access points

References

[REF-6] Katrina Tsipenyuk, Brian Chess and Gary McGraw. "Seven Pernicious Kingdoms: A Taxonomy of Software Security Errors". NIST Workshop on Software Security Assurance Tools Techniques and Metrics. NIST. 2005年11月07日.
<https://samate.nist.gov/SSATTM_Content/papers/Seven%20Pernicious%20Kingdoms%20-%20Taxonomy%20of%20Sw%20Security%20Errors%20-%20Tsipenyuk%20-%20Chess%20-%20McGraw.pdf>.

[REF-453] OWASP. "OWASP , Attack Category : Mobile code: object hijack".
<http://www.owasp.org/index.php/Mobile_code:_object_hijack>.

Content History

Submissions
Submission Date	Submitter	Organization
2006年07月19日 (CWE Draft 3, 2006年07月19日)	7 Pernicious Kingdoms
2006年07月19日 (CWE Draft 3, 2006年07月19日)
Modifications
Modification Date	Modifier	Organization
2023年06月29日	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2023年06月29日	updated Mapping_Notes
2023年04月27日	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2023年04月27日	updated Relationships
2020年02月24日	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2020年02月24日	updated References, Relationships
2019年01月03日	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2019年01月03日	updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2014年07月30日	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2014年07月30日	updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012年10月30日	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2012年10月30日	updated Potential_Mitigations
2012年05月11日	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2012年05月11日	updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011年06月27日	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2011年06月27日	updated Common_Consequences
2011年06月01日	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2011年06月01日	updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2009年07月27日	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2009年07月27日	updated Demonstrative_Examples
2009年05月27日	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2009年05月27日	updated Name
2008年09月08日	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2008年09月08日	updated Relationships, References, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008年07月01日	Eric Dalci	Cigital
2008年07月01日	updated References, Demonstrative_Example, Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction
2008年07月01日	Sean Eidemiller	Cigital
2008年07月01日	added/updated demonstrative examples
Previous Entry Names
Change Date	Previous Entry Name
2008年04月11日	Mobile Code: Object Hijack
2009年05月27日	Public cloneable() Method Without Final (aka 'Object Hijack')

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Page Last Updated: September 09, 2025

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