CWE-1037 Base Incompleto Low likelihood

Processor Optimization Removal or Modification of Security-critical Code

This vulnerability occurs when a processor's performance optimization unintentionally strips out or alters security-critical code that a developer intentionally placed in the software.

Definição

What is CWE-1037?

This vulnerability occurs when a processor's performance optimization unintentionally strips out or alters security-critical code that a developer intentionally placed in the software.
Modern processors use complex optimization techniques like speculative execution, branch prediction, and instruction reordering to boost performance. However, these very optimizations can sometimes work against security by removing timing-based checks, skipping redundant-looking security validations, or executing instructions out of order in a way that bypasses critical security gates. The developer's code appears correct at the source and compiled levels, but the hardware's behavior creates a hidden gap in the intended security model. For developers, this means security mechanisms that rely on precise execution order or constant-time operations—common in cryptography or access control checks—are particularly at risk. Mitigating this requires understanding specific processor behaviors and using appropriate barriers, serializing instructions, or compiler intrinsics that prevent the CPU from optimizing away these sensitive code sections. It's a reminder that security must be enforced at the hardware-software interface, not just within the source code.
Impacto no mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1037

  • CVE-2017-5715

    Intel, ARM, and AMD processor optimizations related to speculative execution and branch prediction cause access control checks to be bypassed when placing data into the cache. Often known as "Spectre".

  • CVE-2017-5753

    Intel, ARM, and AMD processor optimizations related to speculative execution and branch prediction cause access control checks to be bypassed when placing data into the cache. Often known as "Spectre".

  • CVE-2017-5754

    Intel processor optimizations related to speculative execution cause access control checks to be bypassed when placing data into the cache. Often known as "Meltdown".

Como os atacantes a exploram

Trajeto do atacante passo a passo

  1. 1

    Identificar um caminho de código que trata input não confiável sem validação.

  2. 2

    Criar um payload que explora o comportamento inseguro — injeção, traversal, overflow ou abuso de lógica.

  3. 3

    Entregar o payload através de um pedido normal e observar a reação da aplicação.

  4. 4

    Iterar até que a resposta exponha dados, execute código do atacante ou escale privilégios.

Exemplo de código vulnerável

Vulnerable pseudo

A MITRE não publicou um exemplo de código para este CWE. O padrão abaixo é ilustrativo — consulte os Recursos para referências canónicas.

Vulnerável pseudo 
// Example pattern — see MITRE for the canonical references.
function handleRequest(input) {
  // Untrusted input flows directly into the sensitive sink.
  return executeUnsafe(input);
}
Exemplo 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 verificação de prevenção

How to prevent CWE-1037

  • Architecture Use safe-by-default frameworks and APIs that prevent the unsafe pattern from being expressible.
  • Implementation Validate input at trust boundaries; use allowlists, not denylists.
  • Implementation Apply the principle of least privilege to credentials, file paths, and runtime permissions.
  • Testing Cover this weakness in CI: SAST rules + targeted unit tests for the data flow.
  • Operation Monitor logs for the runtime signals listed in the next section.
Sinais de deteção

How to detect CWE-1037

White Box Opportunistic

In theory this weakness can be detected through the use of white box testing techniques where specifically crafted test cases are used in conjunction with debuggers to verify the order of statements being executed.

Correção automática do Plexicus

O Plexicus deteta automaticamente o CWE-1037 e abre um PR de correção em menos de 60 segundos.

O Codex Remedium analisa cada commit, identifica esta fraqueza exata e entrega um pull request pronto para revisão com o patch. Sem tickets. Sem transferências.

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Perguntas frequentes

Frequently asked questions

O que é o CWE-1037?

This vulnerability occurs when a processor's performance optimization unintentionally strips out or alters security-critical code that a developer intentionally placed in the software.

Qual a gravidade do CWE-1037?

A MITRE classifica a probabilidade de exploração como Baixa — a exploração é pouco comum, mas a fraqueza deve mesmo assim ser corrigida quando descoberta.

Que linguagens ou plataformas são afetadas pelo CWE-1037?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Processor Hardware.

Como posso prevenir o CWE-1037?

Use safe-by-default frameworks, validate untrusted input at trust boundaries, and apply the principle of least privilege. Cover the data-flow signature in CI with SAST.

Como é que o Plexicus deteta e corrige o CWE-1037?

O motor SAST do Plexicus correlaciona a assinatura de fluxo de dados do CWE-1037 em cada commit. Quando é encontrada uma correspondência, o nosso agente Codex Remedium abre um PR de correção com o código corrigido, testes e um resumo de uma linha para o revisor.

Onde posso saber mais sobre o CWE-1037?

A MITRE publica a definição canónica em https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1037.html. Pode também consultar a documentação da OWASP e do NIST para orientações adjacentes.

Fraquezas relacionadas

Weaknesses related to CWE-1037

CWE-1038 Pai

Insecure Automated Optimizations

This vulnerability occurs when software uses automated tools to optimize code for performance or efficiency, but those optimizations…

CWE-733 Irmão

Compiler Optimization Removal or Modification of Security-critical Code

This vulnerability occurs when a compiler's optimization process unintentionally strips out or alters security-critical code that a…

Recursos

Further reading

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