CWE-1267 Base Borrador

Policy Uses Obsolete Encoding

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware system uses outdated or deprecated encoding methods to enforce security policies and access controls.

Definición

What is CWE-1267?

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware system uses outdated or deprecated encoding methods to enforce security policies and access controls.
In a System-on-a-Chip (SoC), different hardware components constantly generate transactions to read, write, or perform actions like reset or compute. Each transaction includes identifiers for its source and destination, and is often tagged with a Security Token. This token acts as a key, telling the destination what actions the transaction is permitted to perform. A policy encoder is responsible for creating these tokens by mapping transaction details to specific security permissions. A critical security flaw arises when this policy encoder relies on an obsolete or no-longer-trusted encoding scheme. Using weak or deprecated encoding undermines the entire access control system, as the security tokens can become predictable, forgeable, or easily bypassed. This leaves the chip's assets and functions vulnerable to unauthorized access or manipulation by malicious actors.
Impacto en el mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1267

Todavía no hay CVEs públicos enlazados a esta CWE en el catálogo de MITRE.

Cómo lo explotan los atacantes

Ruta del atacante paso a paso

  1. 1

    For example, consider a system that has four bus masters. The table below provides bus masters, their Security Tokens, and trust assumptions. | Bus Master | Security Token Decoding | Trust Assumptions | | --- | --- | --- | | Master_0 | "00" | Untrusted | | Master_1 | "01" | Trusted | | Master_2 | "10" | Untrusted | | Master_3 | "11" | Untrusted | The policy encoding is to be defined such that Security Token will be used in implemented access-controls. The bits in the bus transaction that contain Security-Token information are Bus_transaction [15:11]. The assets are the AES-Key registers for encryption or decryption. The key of 128 bits is implemented as a set of four, 32-bit registers. | Register | Field description | | --- | --- | | AES_ENC_DEC_KEY_0 | AES key [0:31] for encryption or decryption, Default 0x00000000 | | AES_ENC_DEC_KEY_1 | AES key [32:63] for encryption or decryption, Default 0x00000000 | | AES_ENC_DEC_KEY_2 | AES key [64:95] for encryption or decryption, Default 0x00000000 | | AES_ENC_DEC_KEY_4 | AES key [96:127] for encryption or decryption, Default 0x00000000 | Below is an example of a policy encoding scheme inherited from a previous project where all "ODD" numbered Security Tokens are trusted.

  2. 2

    The inherited policy encoding is obsolete and does not work for the new system where an untrusted bus master with an odd Security Token exists in the system, i.e., Master_3 whose Security Token is "11". Based on the old policy, the untrusted bus master (Master_3) has access to the AES-Key registers. To resolve this, a register AES_KEY_ACCESS_POLICY can be defined to provide necessary, access controls:

  3. 3

    New Policy: | | | | AES_KEY_ACCESS_POLICY | [31:0] Default 0x00000002 - agent with Security Token "1" has access to AES_ENC_DEC_KEY_0 through AES_ENC_DEC_KEY_4 registers | The AES_KEY_ACCESS_POLICY register defines which agents with a Security Token in the transaction can access the AES-key registers. Each bit in this 32-bit register defines a Security Token. There could be a maximum of 32 security Tokens that are allowed access to the AES-key registers. The number of the bit when set (i.e., "1") allows respective action from an agent whose identity matches the number of the bit and, if "0" (i.e., Clear), disallows the respective action to that corresponding agent. Thus, any bus master with Security Token "01" is allowed access to the AES-Key registers. Below is the Pseudo Code for policy encoding:

Ejemplo de código vulnerable

Vulnerable code

For example, consider a system that has four bus masters. The table below provides bus masters, their Security Tokens, and trust assumptions. | Bus Master | Security Token Decoding | Trust Assumptions | | --- | --- | --- | | Master_0 | "00" | Untrusted | | Master_1 | "01" | Trusted | | Master_2 | "10" | Untrusted | | Master_3 | "11" | Untrusted | The policy encoding is to be defined such that Security Token will be used in implemented access-controls. The bits in the bus transaction that contain Security-Token information are Bus_transaction [15:11]. The assets are the AES-Key registers for encryption or decryption. The key of 128 bits is implemented as a set of four, 32-bit registers. | Register | Field description | | --- | --- | | AES_ENC_DEC_KEY_0 | AES key [0:31] for encryption or decryption, Default 0x00000000 | | AES_ENC_DEC_KEY_1 | AES key [32:63] for encryption or decryption, Default 0x00000000 | | AES_ENC_DEC_KEY_2 | AES key [64:95] for encryption or decryption, Default 0x00000000 | | AES_ENC_DEC_KEY_4 | AES key [96:127] for encryption or decryption, Default 0x00000000 | Below is an example of a policy encoding scheme inherited from a previous project where all "ODD" numbered Security Tokens are trusted.

Vulnerable 
If (Bus_transaction[14] == "1")
  	Trusted = "1"
  Else
  	Trusted = "0"
  If (trusted)
  	Allow access to AES-Key registers
  Else
  	Deny access to AES-Key registers
Ejemplo de código seguro

Secure code

New Policy: | | | | AES_KEY_ACCESS_POLICY | [31:0] Default 0x00000002 - agent with Security Token "1" has access to AES_ENC_DEC_KEY_0 through AES_ENC_DEC_KEY_4 registers | The AES_KEY_ACCESS_POLICY register defines which agents with a Security Token in the transaction can access the AES-key registers. Each bit in this 32-bit register defines a Security Token. There could be a maximum of 32 security Tokens that are allowed access to the AES-key registers. The number of the bit when set (i.e., "1") allows respective action from an agent whose identity matches the number of the bit and, if "0" (i.e., Clear), disallows the respective action to that corresponding agent. Thus, any bus master with Security Token "01" is allowed access to the AES-Key registers. Below is the Pseudo Code for policy encoding:

Seguro 
Security_Token[4:0] = Bus_transaction[15:11]
  If (AES_KEY_ACCESS_POLICY[Security_Token] == "1")
  	Allow access to AES-Key registers
  Else
  	Deny access to AES-Key registers
What changed: the unsafe sink is replaced (or the input is validated/escaped) so the same payload no longer triggers the weakness.
Lista de prevención

How to prevent CWE-1267

  • Architecture and Design / Implementation Security Token Decoders should be reviewed for design inconsistency and common weaknesses. Access and programming flows should be tested in both pre-silicon and post-silicon testing.
Señales de detección

How to detect CWE-1267

SAST High

Ejecuta análisis estático (SAST) sobre el código buscando el patrón inseguro en el flujo de datos.

DAST Moderate

Ejecuta pruebas dinámicas de seguridad de aplicaciones (DAST) contra el endpoint en vivo.

Runtime Moderate

Vigila los logs en tiempo de ejecución para detectar trazas de excepción inusuales, entradas malformadas o intentos de bypass de autorización.

Code review Moderate

Revisión de código: marca cualquier código nuevo que maneje entrada desde esta superficie sin usar los helpers validados del framework.

Auto-corrección de Plexicus

Plexicus detecta automáticamente CWE-1267 y abre un PR de corrección en menos de 60 segundos.

Codex Remedium escanea cada commit, identifica esta debilidad concreta y entrega un pull request listo para revisión con el parche. Sin tickets. Sin traspasos.

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Preguntas frecuentes

Frequently asked questions

¿Qué es CWE-1267?

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware system uses outdated or deprecated encoding methods to enforce security policies and access controls.

¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-1267?

MITRE no ha publicado una calificación de probabilidad de explotación para esta debilidad. Trátala como de impacto medio hasta que tu modelo de amenazas demuestre lo contrario.

¿Qué lenguajes o plataformas se ven afectados por CWE-1267?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Not OS-Specific, Not Architecture-Specific, Not Technology-Specific.

¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-1267?

Security Token Decoders should be reviewed for design inconsistency and common weaknesses. Access and programming flows should be tested in both pre-silicon and post-silicon testing.

¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-1267?

El motor SAST de Plexicus detecta la firma de flujo de datos para CWE-1267 en cada commit. Cuando hay coincidencia, nuestro agente Codex Remedium abre un PR de corrección con el código corregido, las pruebas y un resumen de una línea para el revisor.

¿Dónde puedo aprender más sobre CWE-1267?

MITRE publica la definición canónica en https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1267.html. También puedes consultar la documentación de OWASP y NIST para guías relacionadas.

Debilidades relacionadas

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Recursos

Further reading

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