CWE-1338 Base Brouillon

Improper Protections Against Hardware Overheating

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware device lacks sufficient safeguards to prevent dangerous temperature increases during operation.

Définition

What is CWE-1338?

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware device lacks sufficient safeguards to prevent dangerous temperature increases during operation.

All electronic devices generate heat as a byproduct of their operation. Faster processors and higher power draw create more thermal energy. Without built-in protections like temperature sensors, adequate cooling, or power throttling, this heat can build up uncontrollably. Malicious software can exploit this by forcing the hardware into high-performance states, deliberately triggering overheating to cause a temporary malfunction or permanent physical damage—a technique known as a thermal denial-of-service attack. The consequences extend beyond security, impacting device safety and long-term reliability. While similar issues exist for overvoltage or overcurrent conditions, overheating is uniquely tied to normal hardware activity. It's important to note that while these protections guard against operational heat, they do not address separate failure modes like battery malfunctions, which require their own mitigation strategies.

Impact réel

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1338

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
Malicious software running on a core can execute instructions that consume maximum power or increase core frequency. Such a power-virus program could execute on the platform for an extended time to overheat the device, resulting in permanent damage.
2
Execution core and platform do not support thermal sensors, performance throttling, or platform-cooling countermeasures to ensure that any software executing on the system cannot cause overheating past the maximum allowable temperature.
3
The platform and SoC should have failsafe thermal limits that are enforced by thermal sensors that trigger critical temperature alerts when high temperature is detected. Upon detection of high temperatures, the platform should trigger cooling or shutdown automatically.

Exemple de code vulnérable

Vulnerable pseudo

MITRE n'a pas publié d'exemple de code pour ce CWE. Le motif ci-dessous est illustratif — voir Ressources pour les références canoniques.

Vulnérable pseudo

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

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-1338

Architecture and Design Temperature maximum and minimum limits should be enforced using thermal sensors both in silicon and at the platform level.
Implementation The platform should support cooling solutions such as fans that can be modulated based on device-operation needs to maintain a stable temperature.

Signaux de détection

How to detect CWE-1338

Dynamic Analysis with Manual Results Interpretation High

Dynamic tests should be performed to stress-test temperature controls.

Architecture or Design Review High

Power management controls should be part of Architecture and Design reviews.

CWE-1338

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Questions fréquentes

Frequently asked questions

Qu'est-ce que CWE-1338 ?

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware device lacks sufficient safeguards to prevent dangerous temperature increases during operation.

Quelle est la gravité de CWE-1338 ?

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-1338 ?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Not OS-Specific, Not Architecture-Specific, Not Technology-Specific, ICS/OT, Power Management Hardware, Processor Hardware.

Comment puis-je prévenir CWE-1338 ?

Temperature maximum and minimum limits should be enforced using thermal sensors both in silicon and at the platform level. The platform should support cooling solutions such as fans that can be modulated based on device-operation needs to maintain a stable temperature.

Comment Plexicus détecte et corrige CWE-1338 ?

Le moteur SAST de Plexicus reconnaît la signature de flux de données de CWE-1338 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-1338 ?

MITRE publie la définition canonique à https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1338.html. Vous pouvez également consulter la documentation OWASP et NIST pour des conseils adjacents.

Faiblesses associées

Weaknesses related to CWE-1338

CWE-693 Parent

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Improper Protections Against Hardware Overheating

What is CWE-1338?

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1338

Parcours de l'attaquant étape par étape

Vulnerable pseudo

Secure pseudo

How to prevent CWE-1338

How to detect CWE-1338

Don't catalog this weakness. Prove it's reachable.

Frequently asked questions

Weaknesses related to CWE-1338

Protection Mechanism Failure

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

Semiconductor Defects in Hardware Logic with Security-Sensitive Implications

Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values

Product Released in Non-Release Configuration

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

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

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

Improper Protection against Electromagnetic Fault Injection (EM-FI)

Further reading

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Sample evidence handover

Server-Side Request Forgery in `webhooks/receiver`