Ejecuta análisis estático (SAST) sobre el código buscando el patrón inseguro en el flujo de datos.
CWE-1242 Base Incompleto
Inclusion of Undocumented Features or Chicken Bits
This vulnerability occurs when a hardware device or chip includes undocumented configuration bits (often called 'chicken bits') or hidden features that can disable security controls or enable…
Definición
What is CWE-1242?
This vulnerability occurs when a hardware device or chip includes undocumented configuration bits (often called 'chicken bits') or hidden features that can disable security controls or enable privileged functions.
Manufacturers sometimes embed undocumented switches, known as 'chicken bits,' to help engineers quickly disable problematic features during debugging and testing. While useful for development, these hidden controls can bypass critical security mechanisms if left accessible in production hardware.
Attackers can reverse-engineer these undocumented interfaces to gain unauthorized access or elevate privileges. Since these features are not documented for end users, they often lack proper security safeguards, creating a persistent backdoor that undermines the device's intended security posture.
Impacto en el mundo real
Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1242
Todavía no hay CVEs públicos enlazados a esta CWE en el catálogo de MITRE.
Cómo lo explotan los atacantes
Ruta del atacante paso a paso
- 1
Identifica una ruta de código que maneje entrada no confiable sin validación.
- 2
Crea un payload que ejercite el comportamiento inseguro — inyección, traversal, overflow o abuso de lógica.
- 3
Envía el payload a través de una solicitud normal y observa la reacción de la aplicación.
- 4
Itera hasta que la respuesta filtre datos, ejecute código del atacante o escale privilegios.
Ejemplo de código vulnerable
Vulnerable Other
Consider a device that comes with various security measures, such as secure boot. The secure-boot process performs firmware-integrity verification at boot time, and this code is stored in a separate SPI-flash device. However, this code contains undocumented "special access features" intended to be used only for performing failure analysis and intended to only be unlocked by the device designer.
Attackers dump the code from the device and then perform reverse engineering to analyze the code. The undocumented, special-access features are identified, and attackers can activate them by sending specific commands via UART before secure-boot phase completes. Using these hidden features, attackers can perform reads and writes to memory via the UART interface. At runtime, the attackers can also execute arbitrary code and dump the entire memory contents. Ejemplo de código seguro
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.
Lista de prevención
How to prevent CWE-1242
- Architecture and Design / Implementation The implementation of chicken bits in a released product is highly discouraged. If implemented at all, ensure that they are disabled in production devices. All interfaces to a device should be documented.
Señales de detección
How to detect CWE-1242
Ejecuta pruebas dinámicas de seguridad de aplicaciones (DAST) contra el endpoint en vivo.
Vigila los logs en tiempo de ejecución para detectar trazas de excepción inusuales, entradas malformadas o intentos de bypass de autorización.
Revisión de código: marca cualquier código nuevo que maneje entrada desde esta superficie sin usar los helpers validados del framework.
CWE-1242
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.
Preguntas frecuentes ¿Qué es CWE-1242?
¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-1242?
¿Qué lenguajes o plataformas se ven afectados por CWE-1242?
¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-1242?
¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-1242?
¿Dónde puedo aprender más sobre CWE-1242?
Frequently asked questions
¿Qué es CWE-1242?
This vulnerability occurs when a hardware device or chip includes undocumented configuration bits (often called 'chicken bits') or hidden features that can disable security controls or enable privileged functions.
¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-1242?
MITRE no ha publicado una calificación de probabilidad de explotación para esta debilidad. Trátala como de impacto medio hasta que tu modelo de amenazas demuestre lo contrario.
¿Qué lenguajes o plataformas se ven afectados por CWE-1242?
MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Not OS-Specific, Not Architecture-Specific, Not Technology-Specific, ICS/OT.
¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-1242?
The implementation of chicken bits in a released product is highly discouraged. If implemented at all, ensure that they are disabled in production devices. All interfaces to a device should be documented.
¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-1242?
El motor SAST de Plexicus detecta la firma de flujo de datos para CWE-1242 en cada commit. Cuando hay coincidencia, nuestro agente Codex Remedium abre un PR de corrección con el código corregido, las pruebas y un resumen de una línea para el revisor.
¿Dónde puedo aprender más sobre CWE-1242?
MITRE publica la definición canónica en https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1242.html. También puedes consultar la documentación de OWASP y NIST para guías relacionadas.
Debilidades relacionadas
Weaknesses related to CWE-1242
CWE-912 Padre
Hidden Functionality
Hidden functionality refers to undocumented features, commands, or code within a product that are not part of its official specification…
CWE-506 Hermano
Embedded Malicious Code
This vulnerability occurs when an application or codebase contains intentionally harmful code inserted by a developer or third party.
Recursos
Further reading
- MITRE — CWE-1242 oficial https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1242.html
- Doors of Durin: The Veiled Gate to Siemens S7 Silicon https://i.blackhat.com/eu-19/Wednesday/eu-19-Abbasi-Doors-Of-Durin-The-Veiled-Gate-To-Siemens-S7-Silicon.pdf
- Breakthrough Silicon Scanning Discovers Backdoor in Military Chip https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~sps32/Silicon_scan_draft.pdf
- God Mode Unlocked: Hardware Backdoors in x86 CPUs https://i.blackhat.com/us-18/Thu-August-9/us-18-Domas-God-Mode-Unlocked-Hardware-Backdoors-In-x86-CPUs.pdf
- Hardware Backdooring is Practical https://media.blackhat.com/bh-us-12/Briefings/Brossard/BH_US_12_Brossard_Backdoor_Hacking_Slides.pdf
- Security, Reliability, and Backdoors https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~sps32/SG_talk_SRB.pdf
¿Listo para validar lo que importa?
Listo para validar lo que importa.
Plexicus es Proof-Driven AppSec: hallazgos validados, comprensión contextual y remediación revisada — anclada en evidencia, acotada contigo.