CWE-1263: Improper Physical Access Control

What is Improper Physical Access Control?

• Overview: Improper Physical Access Control (CWE-1263) refers to a vulnerability where a product is designed to restrict access to certain information but fails to protect against unauthorized physical access. This means that even if software-based access controls are in place, someone with physical access to the device or area can bypass these protections.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can gain unauthorized access by physically tampering with the product, such as opening casings or bypassing locks.
• Common attack patterns include using physical tools to breach enclosures, exploiting weak locks, or accessing unsecured ports and interfaces.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences include unauthorized data access, data theft, or manipulation of the system.
• Potential cascading effects involve further security breaches through network access or the introduction of malware.
• Business impact may include loss of sensitive data, compromised customer privacy, financial losses, and damage to brand reputation.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Design robust physical enclosures and access controls to prevent unauthorized access.
• Implement security best practices such as strong locks, tamper-evident seals, and controlled access environments.
• Use recommended tools and frameworks for physical security assessments and ensure regular security audits and testing to identify and rectify vulnerabilities.

Corgea can automatically detect and fix Improper Physical Access Control in your codebase. [Try Corgea free today](https://corgea.app).

Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not Language-Specific

Affected Technologies: Not Technology-Specific

Vulnerable Code Example

Certainly! Let's improve the code examples to ensure they clearly demonstrate the vulnerability and its fix, while adhering to best practices and proper formatting.

import os

def check_access(user):
    # Vulnerable: Physical access control not enforced
    # User credentials are stored in a file without encryption
    with open('user_credentials.txt', 'r') as file:
        credentials = file.read()
        if user in credentials:
            return "Access granted"
        else:
            return "Access denied"

print(check_access("admin"))

Vulnerability Explanation

• Improper Physical Access Control: This example demonstrates a security flaw where user credentials are stored in a plain text file. Anyone with physical or unauthorized access to the system can easily read the file, exposing sensitive information.
• Lack of Encryption: The credentials are stored in plaintext, making them susceptible to unauthorized access and data breaches.

How to fix Improper Physical Access Control?

To properly address this vulnerability, follow these best practices:

1. Encrypt Sensitive Data: Ensure that any sensitive data stored on disk is encrypted. This makes it difficult for unauthorized individuals to read the data even if they gain physical access.
2. Use Secure Storage: Instead of using a plain text file, utilize secure storage solutions such as a database with access controls or encrypted files.
3. Access Controls: Implement proper access controls and logging mechanisms to monitor and restrict access to sensitive files.
4. Environment Variables: For sensitive configurations, use environment variables to avoid storing secrets in source files.

Fixed Code Example

from cryptography.fernet import Fernet
import os

# Assume the encryption key is securely stored and retrieved
encryption_key = os.getenv("ENCRYPTION_KEY")
cipher = Fernet(encryption_key)

def check_access(user):
    # Secure: Encrypted credentials with access control
    with open('encrypted_credentials.txt', 'rb') as file:
        encrypted_credentials = file.read()
        try:
            decrypted_credentials = cipher.decrypt(encrypted_credentials)
            if user in decrypted_credentials.decode('utf-8'):
                return "Access granted"
            else:
                return "Access denied"
        except Exception as e:
            return "Access denied due to decryption error"

print(check_access("admin"))

Fix Explanation

• Encryption Applied: User credentials are encrypted using the cryptography module's Fernet symmetric encryption. The encryption key is securely stored and managed, reducing the risk of exposure.
• Secure File Handling: The file now contains encrypted data, making it unreadable without the correct decryption key.
• Environment Variables: The encryption key is retrieved from an environment variable, enhancing security by avoiding hard-coded secrets in the source code.
• Error Handling: Added error handling to manage decryption failures, which could occur due to tampered or corrupted files.

This improved example ensures that sensitive data is protected, following best practices for encryption and secure storage.