The description above is MITRE’s definition of CWE-538 in CWE 4.20, a base-level weakness.
Common consequences MITRE lists
- Confidentiality: Read Files or Directories
Guides on this site
Ship without debug modes, verbose errors or exposed files
Turn off debug output, publish an allowlisted build and probe each deployment for exposed files and endpoints.
Harden container images from Dockerfile to admission
Build minimal, non-root images pinned by digest, keep secrets out of every layer, then scan, sign and verify the exact digest before it runs with dropped privileges.
Practice
- Repair a security pipeline for GitHub Actions and GitLab CI · Local project
- Gate an image build on a CIS scan and a deviation register · Local project
References
This page is generated from MITRE’s CWE 4.20 catalogue (released 30 April 2026) and lists every guide, fix card and lab here that cites CWE-538.
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