Empty password 會削弱系統安全性，并且無法輕易修正出現的安全問題。
為密碼變量指定空字符串絕非一個好方法。如果使用 empty password 成功通過其他系統的驗證，那么相應帳戶的安全性很可能會被減弱，原因是其接受了 empty password。如果在為變量指定一個合法的值之前，empty password 僅僅是一個占位符，那么它將給任何不熟悉代碼的人造成困惑，而且還可能導致出現意外控制流路徑方面的問題。
例 1：
...
NetworkCredential netCred = new NetworkCredential("scott", "", domain);
...
...
string storedPassword = "";
string temp;
if ((temp = ReadPassword(storedPassword)) != null) {
storedPassword = temp;
}
if(storedPassword.Equals(userPassword))
// Access protected resources
...
}
...
readPassword() 因數據庫錯誤或其他問題而未能取得存儲的密碼，攻擊者只需向 userPassword 提供一個空字符串，就能輕松繞過密碼檢查。
[1] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2010 - (OWASP 2010) A7 Insecure Cryptographic Storage
[2] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2007 - (OWASP 2007) A8 Insecure Cryptographic Storage
[3] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2004 - (OWASP 2004) A8 Insecure Storage
[4] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3 - (STIG 3) APP3210.1 CAT II, APP3340 CAT I, APP3350 CAT I
[5] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.4 - (STIG 3.4) APP3210.1 CAT II, APP3340 CAT I, APP3350 CAT I
[6] Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration - (CWE) CWE ID 259
[7] Standards Mapping - FIPS200 - (FISMA) IA
[8] Standards Mapping - SANS Top 25 2009 - (SANS 2009) Porous Defenses - CWE ID 259
[9] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 1.2 - (PCI 1.2) Requirement 3.4, Requirement 6.3.1.3, Requirement 6.5.8, Requirement 8.4
[10] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 2.0 - (PCI 2.0) Requirement 3.4, Requirement 6.5.3, Requirement 8.4
[11] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 1.1 - (PCI 1.1) Requirement 3.4, Requirement 6.5.8, Requirement 8.4