CWE-1248 Base Incomplet

Semiconductor Defects in Hardware Logic with Security-Sensitive Implications

A security-critical hardware component contains physical flaws in its semiconductor material, which can cause it to malfunction and undermine its security features.

Définition

What is CWE-1248?

A security-critical hardware component contains physical flaws in its semiconductor material, which can cause it to malfunction and undermine its security features.
Semiconductor defects are physical imperfections in a chip that can arise from manufacturing errors, material aging, or operation under extreme stress. Common causes include failures in the packaging, wire bonds, metal layers (like corrosion or electromigration), or the silicon oxide layer itself. These defects typically force specific internal signals, inputs, or outputs to become permanently stuck at a logical high (1) or low (0) state, preventing them from switching correctly. When these stuck-at faults occur within a hardware module responsible for security functions—such as encryption, secure boot, or key storage—the module can no longer operate as designed. This failure can directly compromise the device's security objectives, allowing for bypasses, data leakage, or a complete loss of security guarantees. Understanding these failure modes is crucial for designing robust hardware with appropriate safeguards and testing.
Impact réel

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1248

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 Other

The network-on-chip implements a firewall for access control to peripherals from all IP cores capable of mastering transactions.

Vulnérable Other 
A manufacturing defect in this logic manifests itself as a logical fault, which always sets the output of the filter to "allow" access.
Exemple de code sécurisé

Secure pseudo

Sécurisé 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.
Liste de contrôle de prévention

How to prevent CWE-1248

  • Testing While semiconductor-manufacturing companies implement several mechanisms to continuously improve the semiconductor manufacturing process to ensure reduction of defects, some defects can only be fixed after manufacturing. Post-manufacturing testing of silicon die is critical. Fault models such as stuck-at-0 or stuck-at-1 must be used to develop post-manufacturing test cases and achieve good coverage. Once the silicon packaging is done, extensive post-silicon testing must be performed to ensure that hardware logic implementing security functionalities is defect-free.
  • Operation Operating the hardware outside device specification, such as at extremely high temperatures, voltage, etc., accelerates semiconductor degradation and results in defects. When these defects manifest as faults in security-critical, hardware modules, it results in compromise of security guarantees. Thus, operating the device within the specification is important.
Signaux de détection

How to detect CWE-1248

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-1248 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.

Obtenir une démo Essayer Plexicus gratuitement
Questions fréquentes

Frequently asked questions

Qu'est-ce que CWE-1248 ?

A security-critical hardware component contains physical flaws in its semiconductor material, which can cause it to malfunction and undermine its security features.

Quelle est la gravité de CWE-1248 ?

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-1248 ?

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

Comment puis-je prévenir CWE-1248 ?

While semiconductor-manufacturing companies implement several mechanisms to continuously improve the semiconductor manufacturing process to ensure reduction of defects, some defects can only be fixed after manufacturing. Post-manufacturing testing of silicon die is critical. Fault models such as stuck-at-0 or stuck-at-1 must be used to develop post-manufacturing test cases and achieve good coverage. Once the silicon packaging is done, extensive post-silicon testing must be performed to ensure…

Comment Plexicus détecte et corrige CWE-1248 ?

Le moteur SAST de Plexicus reconnaît la signature de flux de données de CWE-1248 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-1248 ?

MITRE publie la définition canonique à https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1248.html. Vous pouvez également consulter la documentation OWASP et NIST pour des conseils adjacents.

Faiblesses associées

Weaknesses related to CWE-1248

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Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values

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Public Key Re-Use for Signing both Debug and Production Code

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CWE-1318 Frère

Missing Support for Security Features in On-chip Fabrics or Buses

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CWE-1319 Frère

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CWE-1326 Frère

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Ressources

Further reading

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