Führe statische Analyse (SAST) auf der Codebasis aus und suche im Datenfluss nach dem unsicheren Muster.
CWE-1278 Base Incomplete
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 capturing and analyzing high-resolution images of the integrated…
Definition
What is CWE-1278?
This vulnerability occurs when hardware lacks safeguards against physical inspection, allowing attackers to extract sensitive data by capturing and analyzing high-resolution images of the integrated circuit's internal structure.
Attackers can physically reverse-engineer chips to uncover secrets stored within the silicon. By removing the chip packaging and using advanced imaging techniques—from non-invasive X-ray microscopy to destructive layer-by-layer scanning electron microscopy—they can visually map the circuit's layout and memory contents. This process directly reveals information that software attacks cannot access.
Hardware secrets like encryption keys, device identifiers, proprietary firmware, or circuit designs stored in non-volatile memory (such as Masked ROM) or within the circuit netlist itself are exposed. While some memory types like One-Time Programmable (OTP) memory offer more resistance, the absence of dedicated anti-tampering protections makes extraction feasible for determined adversaries with specialized equipment.
Auswirkungen in der Praxis
Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1278
Bisher sind in MITREs Katalog keine öffentlichen CVE-Referenzen mit dieser CWE verknüpft.
Wie Angreifer es ausnutzen
Angreiferpfad Schritt für Schritt
- 1
Identifiziere einen Codepfad, der nicht vertrauenswürdige Eingaben ohne Validierung verarbeitet.
- 2
Erzeuge eine Payload, die das unsichere Verhalten auslöst — Injection, Traversal, Overflow oder Logik-Missbrauch.
- 3
Liefere die Payload über einen normalen Request aus und beobachte die Reaktion der Anwendung.
- 4
Iteriere, bis die Antwort Daten preisgibt, Angreifer-Code ausführt oder Berechtigungen eskaliert.
Verwundbares Codebeispiel
Vulnerable pseudo
MITRE hat kein Codebeispiel für diese CWE veröffentlicht. Das untenstehende Muster ist illustrativ — kanonische Referenzen findest du unter Ressourcen.
// Example pattern — see MITRE for the canonical references.
function handleRequest(input) {
// Untrusted input flows directly into the sensitive sink.
return executeUnsafe(input);
} Sicheres Codebeispiel
Secure 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.
Präventions-Checkliste
How to prevent CWE-1278
- Architecture and Design The cost of secret extraction via IC reverse engineering should outweigh the potential value of the secrets being extracted. Threat model and value of secrets should be used to choose the technology used to safeguard those secrets. Examples include IC camouflaging and obfuscation, tamper-proof packaging, active shielding, and physical tampering detection information erasure.
Erkennungssignale
How to detect CWE-1278
Führe dynamische Application-Security-Tests gegen den Live-Endpoint aus.
Beobachte Runtime-Logs auf ungewöhnliche Exception-Traces, fehlerhafte Eingaben oder Versuche, Autorisierung zu umgehen.
Code Review: Markiere jeden neuen Code, der Eingaben von dieser Oberfläche ohne validierte Framework-Helper verarbeitet.
CWE-1278
Don't catalog this weakness. Prove it's reachable.
Plexicus turns CWE catalogs into evidence: every CWE-pattern is matched against your real code graph, reach is proven on a sandbox clone, and verified findings ship as reviewed PRs.
Häufig gestellte Fragen Was ist CWE-1278?
Wie gravierend ist CWE-1278?
Welche Sprachen oder Plattformen sind von CWE-1278 betroffen?
Wie kann ich CWE-1278 verhindern?
Wie erkennt und behebt Plexicus CWE-1278?
Wo erfahre ich mehr über CWE-1278?
Frequently asked questions
Was ist CWE-1278?
This vulnerability occurs when hardware lacks safeguards against physical inspection, allowing attackers to extract sensitive data by capturing and analyzing high-resolution images of the integrated circuit's internal structure.
Wie gravierend ist CWE-1278?
MITRE hat für diese Schwachstelle keine Exploit-Wahrscheinlichkeit veröffentlicht. Behandle sie als mittlere Auswirkung, bis dein Threat Model anderes belegt.
Welche Sprachen oder Plattformen sind von CWE-1278 betroffen?
MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Not OS-Specific, Not Architecture-Specific, Not Technology-Specific.
Wie kann ich CWE-1278 verhindern?
The cost of secret extraction via IC reverse engineering should outweigh the potential value of the secrets being extracted. Threat model and value of secrets should be used to choose the technology used to safeguard those secrets. Examples include IC camouflaging and obfuscation, tamper-proof packaging, active shielding, and physical tampering detection information erasure.
Wie erkennt und behebt Plexicus CWE-1278?
Die SAST-Engine von Plexicus erkennt die Datenfluss-Signatur von CWE-1278 bei jedem Commit. Bei einem Treffer öffnet unser Codex-Remedium-Agent einen Fix-PR mit korrigiertem Code, Tests und einer einzeiligen Zusammenfassung für den Reviewer.
Wo erfahre ich mehr über CWE-1278?
MITRE veröffentlicht die kanonische Definition unter https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1278.html. Für ergänzende Hinweise kannst du auch die OWASP- und NIST-Dokumentation heranziehen.
Verwandte Schwachstellen
Weaknesses related to CWE-1278
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 Sibling
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 Sibling
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 Sibling
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 Sibling
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-1291 Sibling
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…
CWE-1318 Sibling
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 Sibling
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 Sibling
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…
Ressourcen
Further reading
Bereit, das Wesentliche zu validieren?
Bereit zu validieren, was zählt.
Plexicus ist Proof-Driven AppSec: validierte Funde, kontextuelles Verständnis und geprüfte Remediation — in Evidenz verankert, mit Ihnen gescoped.