Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-389

Grouping Prohibited

Error Conditions, Return Values, Status Codes

Status: Incomplete

This category includes weaknesses that occur if a function does not generate the correct return/status code, or if the application does not handle all possible return/status codes that could be generated by a function. This type of problem is most often found in conditions that are rarely encountered during the normal operation of the product. Presumably, most bugs related to common conditions are found and eliminated during development and testing. In some cases, the attacker can directly control or influence the environment to trigger the rare conditions.

Grouping entries organize the catalogue and should not be used to map the root cause of a vulnerability.

Mapping guidance

This entry is a Grouping. Using groupings for mapping has been discouraged since 2019. They are informal organizational groupings of weaknesses that can help CWE users with data aggregation, navigation, and browsing. However, they are not weaknesses in themselves.

See member weaknesses of this category.

Relationships and members
Has Member: CWE-209 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-248 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-252 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-253 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-390 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-391 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-392 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-393 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-394 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-395 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-396 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-397 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-544 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-584 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-617 · View CWE-699
Has Member: CWE-756 · View CWE-699
Notes

Other

Many researchers focus on the resultant weaknesses and do not necessarily diagnose whether a rare condition is the primary factor. However, since 2005 it seems to be reported more frequently than in the past. This subject needs more study.

Content history
Submission: PLOVER · 2006-07-19 · CWE Draft 3
Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2008-09-08 · CWE 1.0

updated Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings

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

updated Description

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

updated Other_Notes, Weakness_Ordinalities

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

updated Applicable_Platforms, Description, Other_Notes, References, Relationships, Research_Gaps, Taxonomy_Mappings, Weakness_Ordinalities

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2019-06-20 · CWE 3.3

updated Relationships

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

updated Relationships

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

updated Mapping_Notes, Relationships

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

updated Mapping_Notes

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

updated Mapping_Notes, Type

0 vulnerabilities reference this CWE, most recent first.

No vulnerabilities reference this CWE.

No mitigation information available for this CWE.

No CAPEC attack patterns related to this CWE.