CWE-1419 Clase Incompleto

Incorrect Initialization of Resource

This weakness occurs when a system fails to properly set up a resource during its creation, leaving it in an unstable, incorrect, or insecure state when used later.

Definición

What is CWE-1419?

This weakness occurs when a system fails to properly set up a resource during its creation, leaving it in an unstable, incorrect, or insecure state when used later.
In software, this often happens due to reliance on implicit or default initialization. For instance, in C, stack memory isn't automatically cleared, and many scripting languages assign a default null or zero value to uninitialized variables. This can lead to critical security flaws if the resource controls access, like an authentication flag, or holds sensitive configuration data. In hardware, similar issues arise from incorrect reset values, misconfigured security fuses, or physical defects. Even if fuses are programmed correctly, broken lines or interfering hardware can corrupt the value. This incorrect initialization during boot or reset can compromise the entire device's security posture from the start.
Impacto en el mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1419

  • CVE-2020-27211

    Chain: microcontroller system-on-chip uses a register value stored in flash to set product protection state on the memory bus and does not contain protection against fault injection (CWE-1319) which leads to an incorrect initialization of the memory bus (CWE-1419) causing the product to be in an unprotected state.

  • CVE-2023-25815

    chain: a change in an underlying package causes the gettext function to use implicit initialization with a hard-coded path (CWE-1419) under the user-writable C:\ drive, introducing an untrusted search path element (CWE-427) that enables spoofing of messages.

  • CVE-2022-43468

    WordPress module sets internal variables based on external inputs, allowing false reporting of the number of views

  • CVE-2022-36349

    insecure default variable initialization in BIOS firmware for a hardware board allows DoS

  • CVE-2015-7763

    distributed filesystem only initializes part of the variable-length padding for a packet, allowing attackers to read sensitive information from previously-sent packets in the same memory location

Cómo lo explotan los atacantes

Ruta del atacante paso a paso

  1. 1

    Consider example design module system verilog code shown below. The register_example module is an example parameterized module that defines two parameters, REGISTER_WIDTH and REGISTER_DEFAULT. Register_example module defines a Secure_mode setting, which when set makes the register content read-only and not modifiable by software writes. register_top module instantiates two registers, Insecure_Device_ID_1 and Insecure_Device_ID_2. Generally, registers containing device identifier values are required to be read only to prevent any possibility of software modifying these values.

  2. 2

    These example instantiations show how, in a hardware design, it would be possible to instantiate the register module with insecure defaults and parameters.

  3. 3

    In the example design, both registers will be software writable since Secure_mode is defined as zero.

  4. 4

    This code attempts to login a user using credentials from a POST request:

  5. 5

    Because the $authorized variable is never initialized, PHP will automatically set $authorized to any value included in the POST request if register_globals is enabled. An attacker can send a POST request with an unexpected third value 'authorized' set to 'true' and gain authorized status without supplying valid credentials.

Ejemplo de código vulnerable

Vulnerable Verilog

Consider example design module system verilog code shown below. The register_example module is an example parameterized module that defines two parameters, REGISTER_WIDTH and REGISTER_DEFAULT. Register_example module defines a Secure_mode setting, which when set makes the register content read-only and not modifiable by software writes. register_top module instantiates two registers, Insecure_Device_ID_1 and Insecure_Device_ID_2. Generally, registers containing device identifier values are required to be read only to prevent any possibility of software modifying these values.

Vulnerable Verilog 
// Parameterized Register module example 
 // Secure_mode : REGISTER_DEFAULT[0] : When set to 1 register is read only and not writable// 
 module register_example 
 #( 
 parameter REGISTER_WIDTH = 8, // Parameter defines width of register, default 8 bits 
 parameter [REGISTER_WIDTH-1:0] REGISTER_DEFAULT = 2**REGISTER_WIDTH -2 // Default value of register computed from Width. Sets all bits to 1s except bit 0 (Secure _mode) 
 ) 
 ( 
 input [REGISTER_WIDTH-1:0] Data_in, 
 input Clk, 
 input resetn, 
 input write, 
 output reg [REGISTER_WIDTH-1:0] Data_out 
 ); 

 reg Secure_mode; 

 always @(posedge Clk or negedge resetn) 

```
   if (~resetn) 
   begin 
  	 Data_out <= REGISTER_DEFAULT; // Register content set to Default at reset 
  	 Secure_mode <= REGISTER_DEFAULT[0]; // Register Secure_mode set at reset 
   end 
   else if (write & ~Secure_mode) 
   begin 
  	 Data_out <= Data_in; 
   end 
 endmodule 
 module register_top 
 ( 
 input Clk, 
 input resetn, 
 input write, 
 input [31:0] Data_in, 
 output reg [31:0] Secure_reg, 
 output reg [31:0] Insecure_reg 
 ); 
 register_example #( 
   .REGISTER_WIDTH (32), 
   .REGISTER_DEFAULT (1224) // Incorrect Default value used bit 0 is 0. 
 ) Insecure_Device_ID_1 ( 
   .Data_in (Data_in), 
   .Data_out (Secure_reg), 
   .Clk (Clk), 
   .resetn (resetn), 
   .write (write) 
 ); 
 register_example #(
   .REGISTER_WIDTH (32) // Default not defined 2^32-2 value will be used as default. 
 ) Insecure_Device_ID_2 ( 
   .Data_in (Data_in), 
   .Data_out (Insecure_reg), 
   .Clk (Clk), 
   .resetn (resetn), 
   .write (write) 
 ); 
 endmodule
Ejemplo de código seguro

Secure Verilog

In the example design, both registers will be software writable since Secure_mode is defined as zero.

Seguro Verilog 
register_example #( 

```
   .REGISTER_WIDTH (32), 
   .REGISTER_DEFAULT (1225) // Correct default value set, to enable Secure_mode 
 ) Secure_Device_ID_example ( 
   .Data_in (Data_in), 
   .Data_out (Secure_reg), 
   .Clk (Clk), 
   .resetn (resetn), 
   .write (write) 
 );
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-1419

  • Implementation Choose the safest-possible initialization for security-related resources.
  • Implementation Ensure that each resource (whether variable, memory buffer, register, etc.) is fully initialized.
  • Implementation Pay close attention to complex conditionals or reset sources that affect initialization, since some paths might not perform the initialization.
  • Architecture and Design Ensure that the design and architecture clearly identify what the initialization should be, and that the initialization does not have security implications.
Señales de detección

How to detect CWE-1419

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-1419 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-1419?

This weakness occurs when a system fails to properly set up a resource during its creation, leaving it in an unstable, incorrect, or insecure state when used later.

¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-1419?

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-1419?

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

¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-1419?

Choose the safest-possible initialization for security-related resources. Ensure that each resource (whether variable, memory buffer, register, etc.) is fully initialized.

¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-1419?

El motor SAST de Plexicus detecta la firma de flujo de datos para CWE-1419 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-1419?

MITRE publica la definición canónica en https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1419.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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