CWE-1311 Base Borrador

Improper Translation of Security Attributes by Fabric Bridge

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware bridge incorrectly converts security attributes between different fabric protocols, potentially changing a transaction's identity from trusted to untrusted…

Definición

What is CWE-1311?

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware bridge incorrectly converts security attributes between different fabric protocols, potentially changing a transaction's identity from trusted to untrusted or vice versa during protocol translation.
Hardware systems often integrate components that use different communication protocols (like AHB, AXI, or OCP), requiring bridges to translate between them. These protocols use dedicated signals (such as HPROT, AxPROT, or MReqInfo) to carry critical security metadata—including the initiating controller's hardware identity, privilege level, and transaction type. The bridge must accurately preserve this security context during conversion. When the bridge misinterprets or incorrectly maps these security attributes, it can fundamentally alter a transaction's trust level. An untrusted initiator might be incorrectly labeled as trusted, or vice versa, leading to severe consequences like privilege escalation, access control bypass, or denial of service by allowing unauthorized access to protected system resources.
Impacto en el mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1311

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

    Identifica una ruta de código que maneje entrada no confiable sin validación.

  2. 2

    Crea un payload que ejercite el comportamiento inseguro — inyección, traversal, overflow o abuso de lógica.

  3. 3

    Envía el payload a través de una solicitud normal y observa la reacción de la aplicación.

  4. 4

    Itera hasta que la respuesta filtre datos, ejecute código del atacante o escale privilegios.

Ejemplo de código vulnerable

Vulnerable Verilog

The bridge interfaces between OCP and AHB end points. OCP uses MReqInfo signal to indicate security attributes, whereas AHB uses HPROT signal to indicate the security attributes. The width of MReqInfo can be customized as needed. In this example, MReqInfo is 5-bits wide and carries the privilege level of the OCP controller. The values 5'h11, 5'h10, 5'h0F, 5'h0D, 5'h0C, 5'h0B, 5'h09, 5'h08, 5'h04, and 5'h02 in MReqInfo indicate that the request is coming from a privileged state of the OCP bus controller. Values 5'h1F, 5'h0E, and 5'h00 indicate untrusted, privilege state. Though HPROT is a 5-bit signal, we only consider the lower, two bits in this example. HPROT values 2'b00 and 2'b10 are considered trusted, and 2'b01 and 2'b11 are considered untrusted. The OCP2AHB bridge is expected to translate trusted identities on the controller side to trusted identities on the responder side. Similarly, it is expected to translate untrusted identities on the controller side to untrusted identities on the responder side.

Vulnerable Verilog 
module ocp2ahb
 ( 

```
   ahb_hprot, 
   ocp_mreqinfo 
 ); 
 output [1:0] ahb_hprot; // output is 2 bit signal for AHB HPROT
 input [4:0] ocp_mreqinfo; // input is 5 bit signal from OCP MReqInfo
 wire [6:0] p0_mreqinfo_o_temp; // OCP signal that transmits hardware identity of bus controller
 wire y;
 reg [1:0] ahb_hprot;
 // hardware identity of bus controller is in bits 5:1 of p0_mreqinfo_o_temp signal
 assign p0_mreqinfo_o_temp[6:0] = {1'b0, ocp_mreqinfo[4:0], y};
 always @*
 begin
   case (p0_mreqinfo_o_temp[4:2])
  	 000: ahb_hprot = 2'b11; // OCP MReqInfo to AHB HPROT mapping
  	 001: ahb_hprot = 2'b00;
  	 010: ahb_hprot = 2'b00;
  	 011: ahb_hprot = 2'b01;
  	 100: ahb_hprot = 2'b00;
  	 101: ahb_hprot = 2'b00;
  	 110: ahb_hprot = 2'b10;
  	 111: ahb_hprot = 2'b00;
   endcase
 end
 endmodule
Ejemplo de código seguro

Secure pseudo

Seguro pseudo 
// Validate, sanitize, or use a safe API before reaching the sink.
function handleRequest(input) {
  const safe = validateAndEscape(input);
  return executeWithGuards(safe);
}
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-1311

  • Architecture and Design The translation must map signals in such a way that untrusted agents cannot map to trusted agents or vice-versa.
  • Implementation Ensure that the translation maps signals in such a way that untrusted agents cannot map to trusted agents or vice-versa.
Señales de detección

How to detect CWE-1311

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-1311 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.

Solicitar demo Probar Plexicus gratis
Preguntas frecuentes

Frequently asked questions

¿Qué es CWE-1311?

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware bridge incorrectly converts security attributes between different fabric protocols, potentially changing a transaction's identity from trusted to untrusted or vice versa during protocol translation.

¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-1311?

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-1311?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Verilog, VHDL, Not Technology-Specific.

¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-1311?

The translation must map signals in such a way that untrusted agents cannot map to trusted agents or vice-versa. Ensure that the translation maps signals in such a way that untrusted agents cannot map to trusted agents or vice-versa.

¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-1311?

El motor SAST de Plexicus detecta la firma de flujo de datos para CWE-1311 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-1311?

MITRE publica la definición canónica en https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1311.html. También puedes consultar la documentación de OWASP y NIST para guías relacionadas.

Debilidades relacionadas

Weaknesses related to CWE-1311

CWE-284 Padre

Improper Access Control

The software fails to properly limit who can access a resource, allowing unauthorized users or systems to interact with it.

CWE-1191 Hermano

On-Chip Debug and Test Interface With Improper Access Control

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware chip's debug or test interface (like JTAG) lacks proper access controls. Without correct…

CWE-1220 Hermano

Insufficient Granularity of Access Control

This vulnerability occurs when a system's access controls are too broad, allowing unauthorized users or processes to read or modify…

CWE-1224 Hermano

Improper Restriction of Write-Once Bit Fields

This vulnerability occurs when hardware write-once protection mechanisms, often called 'sticky bits,' are incorrectly implemented,…

CWE-1231 Hermano

Improper Prevention of Lock Bit Modification

This vulnerability occurs when hardware or firmware uses a lock bit to protect critical system registers or memory regions, but fails to…

CWE-1233 Hermano

Security-Sensitive Hardware Controls with Missing Lock Bit Protection

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware device uses a lock bit to protect critical configuration registers, but the lock fails to…

CWE-1252 Hermano

CPU Hardware Not Configured to Support Exclusivity of Write and Execute Operations

This vulnerability occurs when a CPU's hardware is not set up to enforce a strict separation between writing data to memory and executing…

CWE-1257 Hermano

Improper Access Control Applied to Mirrored or Aliased Memory Regions

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware design maps the same physical memory to multiple addresses (aliasing or mirroring) but fails to…

CWE-1259 Hermano

Improper Restriction of Security Token Assignment

This vulnerability occurs when a System-on-a-Chip (SoC) fails to properly secure its Security Token mechanism. These tokens control which…

Recursos

Further reading

Listo cuando tú lo estés

Deja de pagar por desarrollador.
Empieza a cerrar el bucle.

Plexicus es el ASPM nativo de IA que escanea, filtra, corrige, pentestea y explica — de forma autónoma. Desarrolladores ilimitados, repos ilimitados, acciones de IA de uso justo. Nivel gratuito real, €269/mo anual cuando estés listo.

Comenzar gratis Reservar una demo