CWE-1294: Insecure Security Identifier Mechanism

What is Insecure Security Identifier Mechanism?

• Overview: CWE-1294, Insecure Security Identifier Mechanism, refers to flaws in the implementation of Security Identifiers in Systems-on-Chip (SoC). These identifiers are used to control actions like read, write, or execute based on an entity's trust level or privileges. Incorrect implementation can lead to unauthorized actions.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by impersonating higher-privileged agents or bypassing security checks.
• Common attack patterns include tampering with identifier generation processes, exploiting improper conversions, or leveraging missing identifiers to gain unauthorized access.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences of successful exploitation include unauthorized access to system resources and execution of restricted actions.
• Potential cascading effects involve broader system compromise, data breaches, and privilege escalation.
• Business impact can include loss of sensitive data, damage to brand reputation, and legal liability due to non-compliance with security regulations.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes include rigorous validation of security identifiers and ensuring correct generation and assignment mechanisms.
• Security best practices involve implementing least privilege principles, regular security audits, and thorough testing of identifier processes.
• Recommended tools and frameworks include security-focused static analysis tools and libraries that support robust access control mechanisms.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not Language-Specific

Affected Technologies: Bus/Interface Hardware, Not Technology-Specific

Vulnerable Code Example

class SecurityIdentifier:
    def __init__(self, identifier):
        # Vulnerable: Using user-input directly as a security identifier without validation
        self.identifier = identifier

    def is_authorized(self):
        # Vulnerable: Direct string comparison without validation
        return self.identifier == "admin"

# Example usage
user_input = "admin; DROP TABLE users;"  # An example of malicious input
identifier = SecurityIdentifier(user_input)
if identifier.is_authorized():
    print("User has admin privileges.")
else:
    print("User is not authorized.")

Explanation

This code is vulnerable because it directly uses user input as a security identifier without any validation or sanitization. An attacker could manipulate the input to bypass authorization checks or inject malicious commands.

How to fix Insecure Security Identifier Mechanism?

To fix the CWE-1294 vulnerability, we need to ensure that security identifiers are validated and sanitized before being used. In this example, the issue stems from directly using user input as a security identifier, which could easily be manipulated by an attacker.

The best practices to fix this vulnerability include:

1. Validation and Sanitization: Always validate and sanitize user inputs before using them as identifiers.
2. Use Strong Identifiers: Use secure, strong identifiers that are not easily guessable or spoofable.
3. Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Use a more robust access control mechanism that does not rely solely on string comparison.

Fixed Code Example

class SecurityIdentifier:
    def __init__(self, identifier):
        # Fixed: Validate and map user input to a secure identifier
        self.identifier = self.validate_and_map_identifier(identifier)
    
    def validate_and_map_identifier(self, identifier):
        # Only allow known identifiers
        valid_identifiers = {
            "admin": "admin_privileges",
            "user": "user_privileges"
        }
        # Fixed: Perform validation and mapping
        return valid_identifiers.get(identifier, "unauthorized")
     
    def is_authorized(self):
        # Fixed: Use mapped identifier for authorization check
        return self.identifier == "admin_privileges"

# Example usage
user_input = "admin"  # Example of valid input
identifier = SecurityIdentifier(user_input)
if identifier.is_authorized():
    print("User has admin privileges.")
else:
    print("User is not authorized.")

Explanation

In the fixed code, we implement a validation and mapping mechanism that ensures user inputs are checked against a list of valid identifiers. This approach prevents injection and spoofing attacks by ensuring that only recognized and mapped identifiers are used for authorization checks. Additionally, using a mapping system decouples the security logic from direct string comparisons, making the system more secure and easier to maintain.