CWE-1279: Cryptographic Operations are run Before Supporting Units are Ready

What is Cryptographic Operations are run Before Supporting Units are Ready?

• Overview: Cryptographic Operations are run Before Supporting Units are Ready is a vulnerability where cryptographic processes start without verifying that all supporting systems are fully operational, potentially leading to insecure encryption.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can exploit this by initiating cryptographic operations when supporting units like RNGs or key storage are not ready.
• Common attack patterns include timing attacks during initialization and exploiting predictable entropy sources due to unready RNGs.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences include compromised cryptographic outputs, weakened encryption, and potential exposure of sensitive data.
• Potential cascading effects involve further compromise of system integrity and the weakening of dependent security mechanisms.
• Business impact includes reputational damage, financial loss, and legal ramifications due to data breaches or non-compliance with regulations.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes involve implementing checks to ensure all supporting units are ready before starting cryptographic operations.
• Security best practices include rigorous initialization procedures and continuous monitoring of supporting unit status.
• Recommended tools and frameworks include hardware and software solutions that enforce readiness checks and alert on initialization failures.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Verilog, VHDL, Not Language-Specific

Affected Technologies: Processor Hardware, Not Technology-Specific

Vulnerable Code Example

Verilog Example

module crypto_module (
    input wire clk,
    input wire reset,
    input wire [127:0] key,
    input wire [127:0] data_in,
    output reg [127:0] data_out
);
    reg [127:0] internal_reg;
    always @(posedge clk or posedge reset) begin
        if (reset) begin
            internal_reg <= 128'b0;
        end else begin
            // Vulnerable: Cryptographic operation begins without checking key readiness
            data_out <= internal_reg ^ key ^ data_in;  // XOR operation as a simple example
        end
    end
endmodule

Explanation:

• Vulnerability: The cryptographic operation is executed without verifying if the key is properly initialized or ready. This may result in incorrect encryption or decryption due to uninitialized or invalid key usage, potentially compromising the security of the operation.

How to fix Cryptographic Operations are run Before Supporting Units are Ready?

To address this vulnerability, ensure that cryptographic operations are performed only when all supporting units, such as keys and input data, are fully initialized and ready. Implementing a readiness check, like a "ready" signal, can confirm that inputs are valid and secure for processing, thus preventing operations with uninitialized or invalid data.

Fixed Code Example

module crypto_module (
    input wire clk,
    input wire reset,
    input wire ready,  // New signal to indicate readiness
    input wire [127:0] key,
    input wire [127:0] data_in,
    output reg [127:0] data_out
);
    reg [127:0] internal_reg;
    always @(posedge clk or posedge reset) begin
        if (reset) begin
            internal_reg <= 128'b0;
        end else if (ready) begin  // Secure: Perform operation only when ready
            data_out <= internal_reg ^ key ^ data_in;
        end
    end
endmodule

Explanation:

• Fix: A ready signal is introduced to ensure that cryptographic operations are only performed when all inputs, including the cryptographic key, are valid and ready. This prevents operations with uninitialized or invalid data, maintaining the integrity and security of the cryptographic process. The readiness check ensures that operations are executed securely and accurately, adhering to cryptographic best practices.