CWE-1272 Base Stable

Sensitive Information Uncleared Before Debug/Power State Transition

This vulnerability occurs when a device changes its power mode or enters a debug state but fails to wipe sensitive data that should become inaccessible after the transition.

Definition

What is CWE-1272?

This vulnerability occurs when a device changes its power mode or enters a debug state but fails to wipe sensitive data that should become inaccessible after the transition.
Devices cycle through various operational states—like active power, low-power, sleep, hibernate, or debug modes—as part of normal function. Each state has different security boundaries controlling what data is accessible. A security flaw arises when the system moves from a more permissive state (where sensitive data is present) to a more restricted one, but neglects to purge that data first. This leaves confidential information, such as encryption keys or user data, lingering in memory or registers where it shouldn't be reachable. For developers, this means sensitive data can leak across state boundaries if not explicitly cleared before a transition. Think of it as forgetting to shred confidential documents before locking them in a safe—the safe is secure, but the contents inside still pose a risk. To prevent this, you must implement explicit cleanup routines that wipe all sensitive information from temporary storage, caches, and buffers immediately before any power-state or debug-state change is finalized.
Auswirkungen in der Praxis

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1272

  • CVE-2020-12926

    Product software does not set a flag as per TPM specifications, thereby preventing a failed authorization attempt from being recorded after a loss of power.

Wie Angreifer es ausnutzen

Angreiferpfad Schritt für Schritt

  1. 1

    This example shows how an attacker can take advantage of an incorrect state transition.

  2. 2

    Suppose a device is transitioning from state A to state B. During state A, it can read certain private keys from the hidden fuses that are only accessible in state A but not in state B. The device reads the keys, performs operations using those keys, then transitions to state B, where those private keys should no longer be accessible.

  3. 3

    After the transition to state B, even though the private keys are no longer accessible directly from the fuses in state B, they can be accessed indirectly by reading the memory that contains the private keys.

Verwundbares Codebeispiel

Vulnerable Other

Suppose a device is transitioning from state A to state B. During state A, it can read certain private keys from the hidden fuses that are only accessible in state A but not in state B. The device reads the keys, performs operations using those keys, then transitions to state B, where those private keys should no longer be accessible.

Verwundbar Other 
During the transition from A to B, the device does not scrub the memory.
Sicheres Codebeispiel

Secure Other

After the transition to state B, even though the private keys are no longer accessible directly from the fuses in state B, they can be accessed indirectly by reading the memory that contains the private keys.

Sicher Other 
For transition from state A to state B, remove information which should not be available once the transition is complete.
What changed: the unsafe sink is replaced (or the input is validated/escaped) so the same payload no longer triggers the weakness.
Präventions-Checkliste

How to prevent CWE-1272

  • Architecture and Design / Implementation During state transitions, information not needed in the next state should be removed before the transition to the next state.
Erkennungssignale

How to detect CWE-1272

Manual Analysis High

Write a known pattern into each sensitive location. Enter the power/debug state in question. Read data back from the sensitive locations. If the reads are successful, and the data is the same as the pattern that was originally written, the test fails and the device needs to be fixed. Note that this test can likely be automated.

Plexicus Auto-Fix

Plexicus erkennt CWE-1272 automatisch und öffnet in unter 60 Sekunden einen Fix-PR.

Codex Remedium scannt jeden Commit, identifiziert genau diese Schwachstelle und liefert einen reviewer-ready Pull Request mit dem Patch. Keine Tickets. Keine Hand-offs.

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Häufig gestellte Fragen

Frequently asked questions

Was ist CWE-1272?

This vulnerability occurs when a device changes its power mode or enters a debug state but fails to wipe sensitive data that should become inaccessible after the transition.

Wie gravierend ist CWE-1272?

MITRE hat für diese Schwachstelle keine Exploit-Wahrscheinlichkeit veröffentlicht. Behandle sie als mittlere Auswirkung, bis dein Threat Model anderes belegt.

Welche Sprachen oder Plattformen sind von CWE-1272 betroffen?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: VHDL, Verilog, Hardware Description Language, Not OS-Specific, Not Architecture-Specific, Not Technology-Specific.

Wie kann ich CWE-1272 verhindern?

During state transitions, information not needed in the next state should be removed before the transition to the next state.

Wie erkennt und behebt Plexicus CWE-1272?

Die SAST-Engine von Plexicus erkennt die Datenfluss-Signatur von CWE-1272 bei jedem Commit. Bei einem Treffer öffnet unser Codex-Remedium-Agent einen Fix-PR mit korrigiertem Code, Tests und einer einzeiligen Zusammenfassung für den Reviewer.

Wo erfahre ich mehr über CWE-1272?

MITRE veröffentlicht die kanonische Definition unter https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1272.html. Für ergänzende Hinweise kannst du auch die OWASP- und NIST-Dokumentation heranziehen.

Verwandte Schwachstellen

Weaknesses related to CWE-1272

CWE-226 Parent

Sensitive Information in Resource Not Removed Before Reuse

This vulnerability occurs when a system releases a resource like memory or a file for reuse but fails to erase the sensitive data it…

CWE-1239 Sibling

Improper Zeroization of Hardware Register

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware component fails to properly erase sensitive data from its internal registers before a new user…

CWE-1301 Sibling

Insufficient or Incomplete Data Removal within Hardware Component

The product's data removal process fails to completely erase all data from hardware components, potentially leaving sensitive information…

CWE-1342 Sibling

Information Exposure through Microarchitectural State after Transient Execution

This vulnerability occurs when a CPU fails to completely erase temporary data traces left behind by speculative execution or error…

CWE-244 Sibling

Improper Clearing of Heap Memory Before Release ('Heap Inspection')

Using realloc() to resize buffers containing secrets like passwords or keys can leave that sensitive data exposed in memory, as the…

CWE-200 Kann vorausgehen

Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor

This weakness occurs when an application unintentionally reveals sensitive data to someone who shouldn't have access to it.

Ressourcen

Further reading

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