CWE-256 (明文存储口令) — Vulnerability Class 171

CWE-256 represents a critical data exposure weakness where sensitive authentication credentials are stored in an unencrypted, readable format within system memory, configuration files, or databases. This vulnerability is typically exploited by attackers who gain unauthorized access to the underlying storage medium, allowing them to directly retrieve user passwords without needing to bypass complex cryptographic defenses. Once obtained, these plaintext credentials can be used for immediate account takeover, lateral movement within a network, or credential stuffing attacks against other services. To mitigate this risk, developers must never store raw passwords. Instead, they should implement robust hashing algorithms, such as bcrypt or Argon2, with unique salts for each user. Additionally, employing secure key management systems and ensuring strict access controls over storage resources further reduces the likelihood of accidental exposure or malicious extraction.