CWE-1258: Exposure of Sensitive System Information Due to Uncleared Debug Information

What is Exposure of Sensitive System Information Due to Uncleared Debug Information?

• Overview: This vulnerability involves the exposure of sensitive information that remains in hardware registers after entering debug mode. It occurs when the hardware fails to clear security-sensitive data, such as cryptographic keys, during debugging. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by gaining access to the system in debug mode and extracting sensitive data left in registers.
• Common attack techniques include using hardware debugging tools to read the uncleared registers and accessing exposed cryptographic keys or intermediate values.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences include the leakage of sensitive information like cryptographic keys, which can compromise the security of encrypted data.
• Potential cascading effects include unauthorized decryption of secure communications and further system compromises if keys are reused.
• Business impact may involve data breaches, loss of customer trust, and legal liabilities due to non-compliance with data protection regulations.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Implement hardware-level fixes to ensure registers are cleared when entering or exiting debug mode.
• Follow security best practices, such as minimizing debug access in production environments and ensuring debug interfaces are secured.
• Use recommended tools and frameworks that enforce security controls around debugging functionalities, and regularly update hardware and software to patch known vulnerabilities.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not Language-Specific

Affected Technologies: Not Technology-Specific

Vulnerable Code Example

const sensitiveDataHandler = (debugMode) => {
    const secretKey = "SuperSecretKey123"; // Sensitive information

    return (data) => {
        if (debugMode) {
            console.log(`Debug: Processing data with secret key: \${secretKey}`); // Exposes sensitive information
        }
        // Additional data processing logic here
    };
};

Explanation:

• Lines {5-7}: The secret key is exposed in the console log when debugMode is enabled, posing a security risk by potentially leaking sensitive information during debugging sessions.

How to fix Exposure of Sensitive System Information Due to Uncleared Debug Information?

To fix this vulnerability, ensure sensitive information is never logged or exposed. This includes:

1. Removing or modifying debug logs to exclude sensitive information.
2. Implementing a secure logging mechanism that masks or avoids logging sensitive data.

Fixed Code Example

const sensitiveDataHandler = (debugMode) => {
    const secretKey = "SuperSecretKey123"; // Sensitive information

    return (data) => {
        if (debugMode) {
            console.log("Debug: Processing data"); // Sensitive information is no longer logged
        }
        // Additional data processing logic here
    };
};

const secureSensitiveDataHandler = (data) => {
    // Securely handle data processing without exposing the secret key
    // Ensure sensitive information is handled securely
    // Implement secure processing logic here
};

Explanation:

• Lines {6-7}: The debug message has been altered to avoid logging sensitive information, ensuring that the secret key is not exposed during debugging.
• secureSensitiveDataHandler Function: Introduced as a placeholder for securely handling sensitive data, emphasizing the need to process sensitive information without exposing it. This function should be implemented with best practices for secure data handling.