CWE-1291 Base Brouillon

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

This vulnerability occurs when the same cryptographic key is used to sign both development/debug software builds and final production releases. This insecure practice allows debug versions, which…

Définition

What is CWE-1291?

This vulnerability occurs when the same cryptographic key is used to sign both development/debug software builds and final production releases. This insecure practice allows debug versions, which often contain powerful diagnostic features, to be validated and run on live production systems.

Using a single public key to sign both debug and production code creates a critical security gap. Debug builds typically include backdoors, verbose logging, and privileged hardware access to aid developers. If an attacker obtains a leaked debug image, they can install it on production hardware, bypassing security controls and gaining deep system access. The core failure is not establishing a distinct, protected root of trust for the final shipped product. To prevent this, always use separate, dedicated signing keys for development and production environments. The production key must be stored with higher security and never used on debug builds. This ensures a leaked debug image fails verification on production devices, limiting the impact to intellectual property exposure. Managing distinct cryptographic keys across complex build pipelines is challenging; an ASPM like Plexicus can help automate the detection of key reuse and track remediation of these flaws across your entire software supply chain.

Impact réel

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1291

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
Identifier un chemin de code qui traite des entrées non fiables sans validation.
2
Élaborer une charge utile qui exploite le comportement non sécurisé — injection, traversal, débordement ou abus de logique.
3
Délivrer la charge utile via une requête normale et observer la réaction de l'application.
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

This example illustrates the danger of using the same public key for debug and production.

Vulnérable Other

Suppose the product design requires frugality of silicon real estate. Assume that originally the architecture allows just enough storage for two 2048-bit RSA keys in the fuse: one to be used for debug and the other for production. However, in the meantime, a business decision is taken to make the security future-proof beyond 2030, which means the architecture needs to use the NIST-recommended 3072-bit keys instead of the originally-planned 2048-bit keys. This means that, at most, one key can be fully stored in the fuses, not two. So the product design team decides to use the same public key for debug and production.

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-1291

Implementation Use different keys for Production and Debug

Signaux de détection

How to detect CWE-1291

Architecture or Design Review High

Compare the debug key with the production key to make sure that they are not the same.

Dynamic Analysis with Manual Results Interpretation High

Compare the debug key with the production key to make sure that they are not the same.

Correction automatique Plexicus

Plexicus détecte automatiquement CWE-1291 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-1291 ?

Quelle est la gravité de CWE-1291 ?

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-1291 ?

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

Comment puis-je prévenir CWE-1291 ?

Use different keys for Production and Debug

Comment Plexicus détecte et corrige CWE-1291 ?

Le moteur SAST de Plexicus reconnaît la signature de flux de données de CWE-1291 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-1291 ?

MITRE publie la définition canonique à https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1291.html. Vous pouvez également consulter la documentation OWASP et NIST pour des conseils adjacents.

Faiblesses associées

Weaknesses related to CWE-1291

CWE-693 Parent

Protection Mechanism Failure

This weakness occurs when software either lacks a necessary security control, implements one that is too weak, or fails to activate an…

CWE-1039 Frère

Inadequate Detection or Handling of Adversarial Input Perturbations in Automated Recognition Mechanism

This vulnerability occurs when a system uses automated AI or machine learning to classify complex inputs like images, audio, or text, but…

CWE-1248 Frère

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…

CWE-1253 Frère

Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware security fuse is incorrectly programmed to represent a 'secure' state as logic 0 (unblown). An…

CWE-1269 Frère

Product Released in Non-Release Configuration

This vulnerability occurs when a product ships to customers while still configured with its pre-production or manufacturing settings,…

CWE-1278 Frère

Missing Protection Against Hardware Reverse Engineering Using Integrated Circuit (IC) Imaging Techniques

This vulnerability occurs when hardware lacks safeguards against physical inspection, allowing attackers to extract sensitive data by…

CWE-1318 Frère

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

This vulnerability occurs when the communication channels (fabrics or buses) within a chip lack built-in or enabled security features,…

CWE-1319 Frère

Improper Protection against Electromagnetic Fault Injection (EM-FI)

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware device lacks sufficient shielding against electromagnetic interference, allowing attackers to…

CWE-1326 Frère

Missing Immutable Root of Trust in Hardware

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware chip lacks a permanent, unchangeable root of trust. Without this immutable foundation, attackers…

Ressources

Arrêtez de payer par développeur.
Commencez à fermer la boucle.

Plexicus est l'ASPM natif IA qui scanne, filtre, corrige, penteste et explique — de façon autonome. Développeurs illimités, dépôts illimités, actions IA à usage équitable. Vrai niveau gratuit, €269/mo annuel quand vous êtes prêt.

Commencer gratuitement Réserver une démo