CWE-1419
Alerte pour un CWE
Incorrect Initialization of Resource
Extended Description
This can have security implications when the associated resource is expected to have certain properties or values. Examples include a variable that determines whether a user has been authenticated or not, or a register or fuse value that determines the security state of the product.
For software, this weakness can frequently occur when implicit initialization is used, meaning the resource is not explicitly set to a specific value. For example, in C, memory is not necessarily cleared when it is allocated on the stack, and many scripting languages use a default empty, null value, or zero value when a variable is not explicitly initialized.
For hardware, this weakness frequently appears with reset values and fuses. After a product reset, hardware may initialize registers incorrectly. During different phases of a product lifecycle, fuses may be set to incorrect values. Even if fuses are set to correct values, the lines to the fuse could be broken or there might be hardware on the fuse line that alters the fuse value to be incorrect.
Informations
Modes Of Introduction
ImplementationManufacturing
Installation
System Configuration
Operation
Applicable Platforms
Language
Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined)Operating Systems
Class: Not OS-Specific (Undetermined)Architectures
Class: Not Architecture-Specific (Undetermined)Technologies
Class: Not Technology-Specific (Undetermined)Common Consequences
| Scope | Impact | Likelihood |
|---|---|---|
| Confidentiality | Read Memory, Read Application Data, Unexpected State | Unknown |
| Authorization Integrity | Gain Privileges or Assume Identity | |
| Other | Varies by Context Note: The technical impact can vary widely based on how the resource is used in the product, and whether its contents affect security decisions. |
Observed Examples
| Reference | Description |
|---|---|
| Chain: microcontroller system-on-chip uses a register value stored in flash to set product protection state on the memory bus and does not contain protection against fault injection (CWE-1319) which leads to an incorrect initialization of the memory bus (CWE-1419) causing the product to be in an unprotected state. | |
| chain: a change in an underlying package causes the gettext function to use implicit initialization with a hard-coded path (CWE-1419) under the user-writable C:\ drive, introducing an untrusted search path element (CWE-427) that enables spoofing of messages. | |
| WordPress module sets internal variables based on external inputs, allowing false reporting of the number of views | |
| insecure default variable initialization in BIOS firmware for a hardware board allows DoS | |
| distributed filesystem only initializes part of the variable-length padding for a packet, allowing attackers to read sensitive information from previously-sent packets in the same memory location |
Potential Mitigations
Phases : ImplementationChoose the safest-possible initialization for security-related resources.
Phases : Implementation
Ensure that each resource (whether variable, memory buffer, register, etc.) is fully initialized.
Phases : Implementation
Pay close attention to complex conditionals or reset sources that affect initialization, since some paths might not perform the initialization.
Phases : Architecture and Design
Ensure that the design and architecture clearly identify what the initialization should be, and that the initialization does not have security implications.
Vulnerability Mapping Notes
Rationale : This CWE entry is a Class and might have Base-level children that would be more appropriateComments : Examine children of this entry to see if there is a better fit
Submission
| Name | Organization | Date | Date Release | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CWE Content Team | MITRE | 4.13 |
