CWE-293 (Using Referer Field for Authentication) documents a weakness type used across vulnerability databases and security assessments. Use the sections below for definition, context, and mapped CVEs.
The referer field in HTTP requests can be easily modified and, as such, is not a valid means of message integrity checking.
Extended context from the CWE catalog (rendered from MITRE XHTML).
| Kind | Name | Class | Prevalence | OS / CPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| language | — | Not Language-Specific | Undetermined | — |
These CVEs are mapped to this weakness in this database and kept for traceability and search.
| CVE | Published | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2023-20025 | 2023-01-20 | A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV016, RV042, RV042G, and RV082 Routers could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication on an aff… |
| Date | Name | Version | Importance | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09-08 | CWE Content Team | 1.0 | — | updated Alternate_Terms, Background_Details, Common_Consequences, Relationships, Relevant_Properties, Taxonomy_Mappings |
| 2011-06-01 | CWE Content Team | 1.13 | — | updated Common_Consequences |
| 2012-05-11 | CWE Content Team | 2.2 | — | updated Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, References, Relationships |
| 2012-10-30 | CWE Content Team | 2.3 | — | updated Demonstrative_Examples |
| 2014-07-30 | CWE Content Team | 2.8 | — | updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings |
| 2017-11-08 | CWE Content Team | 3.0 | — | updated Applicable_Platforms, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships, Relevant_Properties |
| 2020-02-24 | CWE Content Team | 4.0 | — | updated Relationships |
| 2021-03-15 | CWE Content Team | 4.4 | — | updated References |
| 2023-04-27 | CWE Content Team | 4.11 | — | updated Detection_Factors, Relationships |
| 2023-06-29 | CWE Content Team | 4.12 | — | updated Mapping_Notes |
| 2025-12-11 | CWE Content Team | 4.19 | — | updated Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities |