CWE-597: Use of Wrong Operator in String Comparison | Glexia

Causes

• In the example below, two Java String objects are declared and initialized with the same string values. An if statement is used to determine if the strings are equivalent. However, the if statement will not be executed as the strings are compared using the "==" operator. For Java objects, such as String objects, the "==" operator compares object references, not object values. While the two String objects above contain the same string values, they refer to different object references, so the System.out.println statement will not be executed. To compare object values, the previous code could be modified to use the equals method:
• In the example below, three JavaScript variables are declared and initialized with the same values. Note that JavaScript will change a value between numeric and string as needed, which is the reason an integer is included with the strings. An if statement is used to determine whether the values are the same. However, the body of the if statement will not be executed, as the "===" compares both the type of the variable AND the value. As the types of the first comparison are number and string, it fails. The types in the second are int and reference, so this one fails as well. The types in the third are reference and string, so it also fails. While the variables above contain the same values, they are contained in different types, so the document.getElementById... statement will not be executed in any of the cases. To compare object values, the previous code is modified and shown below to use the "==" for value comparison so the comparison in this example executes the HTML statement:
• In the example below, two PHP variables are declared and initialized with the same numbers - one as a string, the other as an integer. Note that PHP will change the string value to a number for a comparison. An if statement is used to determine whether the values are the same. However, the body of the if statement will not be executed, as the "===" compares both the type of the variable AND the value. As the types of the first comparison are number and string, it fails. While the variables above contain the same values, they are contained in different types, so the TRUE portion of the if statement will not be executed. To compare object values, the previous code is modified and shown below to use the "==" for value comparison (string converted to number) so the comparison in this example executes the TRUE statement:

Remediation

• Implementation: Within Java, use .equals() to compare string values. Within JavaScript, use == to compare string values. Within PHP, use == to compare a numeric value to a string value. (PHP converts the string to a number.)

Detection

• 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.)

Related CWEs

• CWE-480: Use of Incorrect Operator
• CWE-595: Comparison of Object References Instead of Object Contents
• CWE-595: Comparison of Object References Instead of Object Contents

Related CVEs

Related CVE mappings appear after CVE records are cross-indexed.

ATT&CK Relevance

ATT&CK relevance is shown only when reviewed or responsibly inferred.