CWE - CWE-1310: Missing Ability to Patch ROM Code (4.11)

Weakness ID: 1310

Abstraction: Base
Structure: Simple

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Description

Missing an ability to patch ROM code may leave a System or System-on-Chip (SoC) in a vulnerable state.

Extended Description

A System or System-on-Chip (SoC) that implements a boot process utilizing security mechanisms such as Root-of-Trust (RoT) typically starts by executing code from a Read-only-Memory (ROM) component. The code in ROM is immutable, hence any security vulnerabilities discovered in the ROM code can never be fixed for the systems that are already in use.

A common weakness is that the ROM does not have the ability to patch if security vulnerabilities are uncovered after the system gets shipped. This leaves the system in a vulnerable state where an adversary can compromise the SoC.

Relationships

This table shows the weaknesses and high level categories that are related to this weakness. These relationships are defined as ChildOf, ParentOf, MemberOf and give insight to similar items that may exist at higher and lower levels of abstraction. In addition, relationships such as PeerOf and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.

Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (CWE-1000)

Nature	Type	ID	Name
ChildOf	Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource.	1329	Reliance on Component That is Not Updateable

Relevant to the view "Hardware Design" (CWE-1194)

Nature	Type	ID	Name
MemberOf	Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.	1196	Security Flow Issues

Modes Of Introduction

The different Modes of Introduction provide information about how and when this weakness may be introduced. The Phase identifies a point in the life cycle at which introduction may occur, while the Note provides a typical scenario related to introduction during the given phase.

Phase	Note
Architecture and Design	This issue could be introduced during hardware architecture and design and can be identified later during Testing.
Implementation	This issue could be introduced during implementation and can be identified later during Testing.
Integration	This issue could be introduced during integration and can be identified later during Testing.
Manufacturing	This issue could be introduced during manufacturing and can be identified later during Testing.

Applicable Platforms

This listing shows possible areas for which the given weakness could appear. These may be for specific named Languages, Operating Systems, Architectures, Paradigms, Technologies, or a class of such platforms. The platform is listed along with how frequently the given weakness appears for that instance.

Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Operating Systems

Class: Not OS-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Architectures

Class: Not Architecture-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Technologies

Class: System on Chip (Undetermined Prevalence)

Common Consequences

This table specifies different individual consequences associated with the weakness. The Scope identifies the application security area that is violated, while the Impact describes the negative technical impact that arises if an adversary succeeds in exploiting this weakness. The Likelihood provides information about how likely the specific consequence is expected to be seen relative to the other consequences in the list. For example, there may be high likelihood that a weakness will be exploited to achieve a certain impact, but a low likelihood that it will be exploited to achieve a different impact.

Scope	Impact	Likelihood
Other	Technical Impact: Varies by Context; Reduce Maintainability When the system is unable to be patched, it can be left in a vulnerable state.	High

Demonstrative Examples

Example 1

A System-on-Chip (SOC) implements a Root-of-Trust (RoT) in ROM to boot secure code. However, at times this ROM code might have security vulnerabilities and need to be patched. Since ROM is immutable, it can be impossible to patch.

ROM does not have built-in application-programming interfaces (APIs) to patch if the code is vulnerable. Implement mechanisms to patch the vulnerable ROM code.

Potential Mitigations

Phases: Architecture and Design; Implementation

Secure patch support to allow ROM code to be patched on the next boot.

Effectiveness: Moderate

Note: Some parts of the hardware initialization or signature verification done to authenticate patches will always be "not patchable."

Phases: Architecture and Design; Implementation

Support patches that can be programmed in-field or during manufacturing through hardware fuses. This feature can be used for limited patching of devices after shipping, or for the next batch of silicon devices manufactured, without changing the full device ROM.

Effectiveness: Moderate

Note: Patches that use hardware fuses will have limitations in terms of size and the number of patches that can be supported. Note that some parts of the hardware initialization or signature verification done to authenticate patches will always be "not patchable."

Memberships

This MemberOf Relationships table shows additional CWE Categories and Views that reference this weakness as a member. This information is often useful in understanding where a weakness fits within the context of external information sources.

Nature	Type	ID	Name
MemberOf	Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic.	1415	Comprehensive Categorization: Resource Control

Related Attack Patterns

CAPEC-ID	Attack Pattern Name
CAPEC-682	Exploitation of Firmware or ROM Code with Unpatchable Vulnerabilities

Content History

Submissions
Submission Date	Submitter	Organization
2020-04-25	Narasimha Kumar V Mangipudi	Intel Corporation
2020-04-25
Contributions
Contribution Date	Contributor	Organization
2022-09-07	Jason Fung	Intel
2022-09-07	suggested removal of incorrect references
Modifications
Modification Date	Modifier	Organization
2021-03-15	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2021-03-15	updated Maintenance_Notes
2021-07-20	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2021-07-20	updated Demonstrative_Examples, Maintenance_Notes
2022-04-28	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2022-04-28	updated Applicable_Platforms, Common_Consequences, Potential_Mitigations, Relationships
2022-10-13	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2022-10-13	updated References, Related_Attack_Patterns
2023-04-27	CWE Content Team	MITRE
2023-04-27	updated Relationships


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Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-1310: Missing Ability to Patch ROM Code

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