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CWE - CWE-491: Public cloneable() Method Without Final ('Object Hijack') (4.20)

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Home > CWE List > CWE-491: Public cloneable() Method Without Final ('Object Hijack') (4.20)  
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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
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

Unexpected State; Varies by Context

Scope: Integrity, Other

Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation
Make the cloneable() method final.
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 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
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
Implementation
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

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 {
...
}


Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of 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. 485 7PK - Encapsulation
MemberOf Category - 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 Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1002 SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points
MemberOf Category - 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 Category - 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 Mapped Node Name
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. 2005-11-07.
<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 Modifications Modification Date Modifier Organization Previous Entry Names Change Date Previous Entry Name
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19) 		7 Pernicious Kingdoms
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29
(CWE 4.12, 2023-06-29) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27
(CWE 4.11, 2023-04-27) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24
(CWE 4.0, 2020-02-24) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2019-01-03
(CWE 3.2, 2019-01-03) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2014-07-30
(CWE 2.8, 2014-07-31) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-10-30
(CWE 2.3, 2012-10-30) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11
(CWE 2.2, 2012-05-15) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-27
(CWE 2.0, 2011-06-27) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01
(CWE 1.13, 2011-06-01) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2009-07-27
(CWE 1.5, 2009-07-27) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2009-05-27
(CWE 1.4, 2009-05-27) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Name
2008-09-08
(CWE 1.0, 2008-09-09) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, References, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01
(CWE 1.0, 2008-09-09) 		Sean Eidemiller Cigital
added/updated demonstrative examples
2008-07-01
(CWE 1.0, 2008-09-09) 		Eric Dalci Cigital
updated References, Demonstrative_Example, Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction
2009-05-27 Public cloneable() Method Without Final (aka 'Object Hijack')
2008-04-11 Mobile Code: Object Hijack
Page Last Updated: April 30, 2026
 

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