Broken function-level authorization (BFLA)
A lower-privilege actor invokes a function reserved for another role.
Candidate CWE: CWE-862 · CWE-863
Test hypothesis#
Record a documented owner-only reversible action on a disposable object. Replay it as the controlled viewer. Compare owner success, viewer denial on the normal route, and the observed alternate route.
Evidence required#
The restricted operation commits under the viewer identity. Include role definitions, actor tokens redacted, request sequence, and owner-side state verification. Select CWE-862 if the required function-level check is absent; select CWE-863 if a check exists but makes the wrong authorization decision.
Rule out false positives#
A hidden menu, reachable administrator HTML shell, or function explicitly available to members does not establish privilege escalation.
Playbook and command references#
- Object, function, and property authorization — Turn identities, tenants, objects, roles, and lifecycle transitions into a reproducible permission matrix.
- REST, GraphQL, gRPC, WebSocket, and SSE permission parity — Carry the same permission invariant across protocols, nested fields, streams, and alternate API versions.
Find the associated command snippets
Referenced by these target playbooks#
Report checklist#
- Capture the affected version, configuration, identities, and object ownership.
- Preserve a valid baseline and a negative control.
- Reproduce the forbidden data access, action, or state change on controlled fixtures.
- Explain the intended security rule and why the observed behavior violates it.
- State prerequisites, uncertainty, cleanup, and the smallest demonstrated impact.
Conditional ATT&CK mapping#
No direct ATT&CK mapping selected. Record the weakness and demonstrated impact without forcing an adversary-behavior classification. See the mapping guide.