Cyber Resilience

CWE · MITRE source

CWE-420Unprotected Alternate Channel

Abstraction: Base · CVEs in our corpus: 38

The product protects a primary channel, but it does not use the same level of protection for an alternate channel.

Last updated: 21 August 2026 00:24 UTC

Control responseHuman-reviewed

Answering this weakness across the control lifecycle, from our framework cross-walks.

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53 / CSF Protect)
  • AC-17 Remote Access
  • RA-6 Technical Surveillance Countermeasures Survey
  • SC-41 Port and I/O Device Access
  • PR.DS-02
Detect
Catch it (CSF Detect / Respond)
  • DE.CM-01
Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

NIST 800-53 r5 controls that address this weakness (3)AI-assisted

Control Title Family Why it addresses this CWE
AC-17Remote AccessACUsage restrictions and authorization for remote access protect against unprotected alternate channels.
RA-6Technical Surveillance Countermeasures SurveyRATSCM surveys detect and neutralize unprotected alternate channels introduced by surveillance equipment or modifications.
SC-41Port and I/O Device AccessSCRemoves or disables unprotected alternate I/O channels that could otherwise be used to bypass primary controls.

Top CVEs of this weakness type, ranked by Risk Priority

CVE Risk CVSS EPSS Published
CVE-2023-20198 KEV 10.010.00.99572023-10-16
CVE-2024-10081 9.110.00.39122024-11-06
CVE-2025-54309 KEV 8.99.00.94362025-07-18
CVE-2025-13315 8.99.80.32532025-11-19
CVE-2026-40217 7.38.80.06502026-04-10
CVE-2025-52921 7.09.90.00482025-06-23
CVE-2025-53967 6.58.00.07422025-10-08
CVE-2025-62001 6.58.80.00362025-12-18
CVE-2023-31241 6.48.60.00762023-05-22
CVE-2023-4570 6.48.80.00282023-10-05
CVE-2025-8557 6.48.80.00252025-09-11
CVE-2025-54351 6.38.90.00402025-08-03
CVE-2025-67303 6.17.50.01362026-01-05
CVE-2023-28840 5.97.50.02712023-04-04
CVE-2025-1095 5.98.80.00142025-04-08
CVE-2023-7266 5.77.50.00272024-12-28
CVE-2025-41727 5.67.80.00162026-01-27
CVE-2024-8038 5.57.90.00212024-10-02
CVE-2025-59033 5.47.40.00242025-09-08
CVE-2023-28842 5.36.80.01442023-04-04
CVE-2026-435055.06.50.00202026-05-01
CVE-2020-8558 4.95.40.03602020-07-27
CVE-2023-52718 4.76.40.00152024-12-28
CVE-2024-4444 4.65.30.00712024-05-14
CVE-2024-6099 4.45.30.00422024-07-02