Power-On of Untrusted Execution Core Before Enabling Fabric Access Control
Draft Base
Structure: Simple
Description
The product enables components that contain untrusted firmware before memory and fabric access controls have been enabled.
After initial reset, System-on-Chip (SoC) fabric access controls and other security features need to be programmed by trusted firmware as part of the boot sequence. If untrusted IPs or peripheral microcontrollers are enabled first, then the untrusted component can master transactions on the hardware bus and target memory or other assets to compromise the SoC boot firmware.
Common Consequences 1
Scope: Access Control
Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism
An untrusted component can master transactions on the HW bus and target memory or other assets to compromise the SoC boot firmware.
Potential Mitigations 1
Phase: Architecture and Design
The boot sequence should enable fabric access controls and memory protections before enabling third-party hardware IPs and peripheral microcontrollers that use untrusted firmware.
References 2
Intel x86 Root of Trust: loss of trust
Mark Ermolov, Positive Technologies
05-03-2020
ID: REF-1130
Owned by an iPod
Maximillian Dornseif
2004
ID: REF-1042
Related Attack Patterns
Related Weaknesses
ChildOf:
Incorrect Behavior Order (CWE-696)