CWE-1253: Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values

BaseDraft

The logic level used to set a system to a secure state relies on a fuse being unblown.

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Extended Description

Fuses are often used to store secret data, including security configuration data. When not blown, a fuse is considered to store a logic 0, and, when blown, it indicates a logic 1. Fuses are generally considered to be one-directional, i.e., once blown to logic 1, it cannot be reset to logic 0.

Technical Details

Structure
Simple
Vulnerability Mapping
ALLOWED

Applicable To

Languages
Not Language-Specific
Platforms
Not OS-Specific

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-1253 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-1253, Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values, throughout the product lifecycle. Derive review questions, static or dynamic checks, and negative tests from the CWE's causal behavior; define the components and lifecycle stages each check covers; and retain findings with enough evidence to distinguish the root cause from symptoms and impacts. Track escapes and false negatives, then improve the verification plan after every confirmed occurrence.

NIST SP 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework — National Institute of Standards and Technology

Address Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values during Architecture and Design

MITRE associates mitigation with Architecture and Design; recorded impacts include Bypass Protection Mechanism, Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart, Read Memory, and Modify Memory; the entry maps to CAPEC-74. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-1253 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-1253: Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-1253 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-1253, Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values, has evidence of exploitation in the wild. Confirm the CVE-to-CWE root-cause mapping independently before attaching the example, then capture the affected product, required action, and remediation deadline. A missing KEV match is not evidence that the weakness is unexploited, and a KEV entry must not be generalized to every occurrence of this CWE.

Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog — Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Apply precise root-cause mapping to CWE-1253

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-1253, Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values. Separate weakness language from attacker prerequisites and technical impact, check the entry's abstraction and vulnerability-mapping notes, and prefer the most specific Base or Variant supported by the evidence. Record the rejected alternatives and require an independent review before the mapping is used for remediation trends or program metrics.

CVE to CWE Root Cause Mapping Guidance — MITRE CWE

Validate CWE-1253 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-1253, Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values. Confirm the finding describes the causal weakness rather than an impact or attack pattern, compare the abstraction and mapping notes with plausible alternatives, and have a second reviewer challenge the selection. Preserve the evidence and reasoning so recurring defects can be measured against one consistent identifier.

CVE to CWE Root Cause Mapping Quick Tips — MITRE CWE

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CWE-1253: Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values?+

CWE-1253: Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The logic level used to set a system to a secure state relies on a fuse being unblown. Fuses are often used to store secret data, including security configuration data. When not blown, a fuse is considered to store a logic 0, and, when blown, it indicates a logic 1. Fuses are generally considered to be one-directional, i.e., once blown to logic 1, it cannot be reset to logic 0.

What are the security consequences of Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values?+

If exploited, CWE-1253 (Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values) it can compromise Access Control, Authorization, Availability, Confidentiality and Integrity, leading to outcomes such as Bypass Protection Mechanism, Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart, Read Memory, Modify Memory and Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands.

How do you prevent or mitigate Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-1253 include: Logic should be designed in a way that blown fuses do not put the product into an insecure state that can be leveraged by an attacker.

Which programming languages are affected by Incorrect Selection of Fuse Values?+

CWE-1253 commonly affects Not Language-Specific. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.

What is the difference between a CWE and a CVE?+

A CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) like CWE-1253 describes a category of software weakness — the underlying flaw type. A CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) identifies a specific, real-world vulnerability in a particular product. In short, a CWE is the kind of mistake, and a CVE is an instance of that mistake being found in software.

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