CWE-1223 Base Incomplet

Race Condition for Write-Once Attributes

This vulnerability occurs when an untrusted software component wins a race condition and writes to a hardware register before the trusted component can, permanently locking in an insecure value…

Définition

What is CWE-1223?

This vulnerability occurs when an untrusted software component wins a race condition and writes to a hardware register before the trusted component can, permanently locking in an insecure value because the register is designed to be written only once.
In hardware design, critical security settings are often stored in write-once registers. These registers allow software to set a value—like a system configuration or a security policy—a single time after a reset, after which they become read-only. This mechanism is intended to let trusted boot firmware establish a secure baseline that untrusted runtime software cannot later alter. A security flaw emerges when the hardware design does not properly sequence access to these registers. If an untrusted software module (Module B) can issue a write command before the trusted module (Module A) does, the untrusted value gets permanently locked in. The trusted module's subsequent write is ignored, leaving the system configured with potentially insecure or incorrect settings for its entire operational lifetime.
Impact réel

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1223

Aucune référence CVE publique n'est liée à ce CWE dans le catalogue MITRE pour le moment.

Comment les attaquants l'exploitent

Parcours de l'attaquant étape par étape

  1. 1

    Identifier un chemin de code qui traite des entrées non fiables sans validation.

  2. 2

    Élaborer une charge utile qui exploite le comportement non sécurisé — injection, traversal, débordement ou abus de logique.

  3. 3

    Délivrer la charge utile via une requête normale et observer la réaction de l'application.

  4. 4

    Itérer jusqu'à ce que la réponse divulgue des données, exécute le code de l'attaquant ou élève les privilèges.

Exemple de code vulnérable

Vulnerable Verilog

consider the example design module system verilog code shown below. register_write_once_example module is an example of register that has a write-once field defined. Bit 0 field captures the write_once_status value.

Vulnérable Verilog
module register_write_once_example
 (

```
   input [15:0] Data_in,
   input Clk,
   input ip_resetn,
   input global_resetn,
   input write,
   output reg [15:0] Data_out
 );
 reg Write_once_status;
 always @(posedge Clk or negedge ip_resetn)
 if (~ip_resetn)
   begin
  	 Data_out <= 16'h0000; 
  	 Write_once_status <= 1'b0;
   end
 else if (write & ~Write_once_status) 
   begin
  	 Data_out <= Data_in & 16'hFFFE; // Input data written to register after masking bit 0
  	 Write_once_status <= 1'b1; // Write once status set after first write.
   end
 else if (~write)
   begin
  	 Data_out[15:1] <= Data_out[15:1];
  	 Data_out[0] <= Write_once_status;
   end
 endmodule
Exemple de code sécurisé

Secure Other

The first system component that sends a write cycle to this register can program the value. This could result in a race condition security issue in the SoC design, if an untrusted agent is running in the system in parallel with the trusted component that is expected to program the register.

Sécurisé Other
Trusted firmware or software trying to set the write-once field: 

  - Must confirm the Write_once_status (bit 0) value is zero, before programming register. If another agent has programmed the register before, then Write_once_status value will be one.

  - After writing to the register, the trusted software can issue a read to confirm that the valid setting has been programmed.
What changed: the unsafe sink is replaced (or the input is validated/escaped) so the same payload no longer triggers the weakness.
Liste de contrôle de prévention

How to prevent CWE-1223

  • Architecture and Design During hardware design all register write-once or sticky fields must be evaluated for proper configuration.
  • Testing The testing phase should use automated tools to test that values are not reprogrammable and that write-once fields lock on writing zeros.
Signaux de détection

How to detect CWE-1223

SAST High

Exécuter une analyse statique (SAST) sur le code source à la recherche du motif non sécurisé dans le flux de données.

DAST Moderate

Exécuter des tests de sécurité applicative dynamique (DAST) contre le point de terminaison en ligne.

Runtime Moderate

Surveiller les journaux runtime pour détecter des traces d'exception inhabituelles, des entrées malformées ou des tentatives de contournement d'autorisation.

Code review Moderate

Revue de code : signaler tout nouveau code qui traite les entrées de cette surface sans utiliser les helpers du framework validés.

Correction automatique Plexicus

Plexicus détecte automatiquement CWE-1223 et ouvre une PR de correction en moins de 60 secondes.

Codex Remedium analyse chaque commit, identifie cette faiblesse précise et livre une pull request prête à être relue avec le correctif. Pas de tickets. Pas de transferts.

Questions fréquentes

Frequently asked questions

Qu'est-ce que CWE-1223 ?

This vulnerability occurs when an untrusted software component wins a race condition and writes to a hardware register before the trusted component can, permanently locking in an insecure value because the register is designed to be written only once.

Quelle est la gravité de CWE-1223 ?

MITRE n'a pas publié de note de probabilité d'exploitation pour cette faiblesse. Traitez-la comme un impact moyen jusqu'à ce que votre modèle de menace prouve le contraire.

Quels langages ou plateformes sont affectés par CWE-1223 ?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Verilog, VHDL, System on Chip.

Comment puis-je prévenir CWE-1223 ?

During hardware design all register write-once or sticky fields must be evaluated for proper configuration. The testing phase should use automated tools to test that values are not reprogrammable and that write-once fields lock on writing zeros.

Comment Plexicus détecte et corrige CWE-1223 ?

Le moteur SAST de Plexicus reconnaît la signature de flux de données de CWE-1223 à chaque commit. Lorsqu'une correspondance est trouvée, notre agent Codex Remedium ouvre une PR de correction avec le code corrigé, les tests et un résumé d'une ligne pour le relecteur.

Où puis-je en savoir plus sur CWE-1223 ?

MITRE publie la définition canonique à https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1223.html. Vous pouvez également consulter la documentation OWASP et NIST pour des conseils adjacents.

Faiblesses associées

Weaknesses related to CWE-1223

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