What is CWE-1297: Unprotected Confidential Information on Device is Accessible by OSAT Vendors?+
CWE-1297: Unprotected Confidential Information on Device is Accessible by OSAT Vendors is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product does not adequately protect confidential information on the device from being accessed by Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) vendors. In contrast to complete vertical integration of architecting, designing, manufacturing, assembling, and testing chips all within a single organization, an organization can choose to simply architect and design a chip before outsourcing the rest of the process to OSAT entities (e.g., external foundries and test houses). In the latter example, the device enters an OSAT facility in a much more vulnerable pre-production stage where many debug and test modes are accessible. Therefore, the chipmaker must place a certain level of trust with the OSAT. To counter this, the chipmaker often requires the OSAT partner to enter into restrictive non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). Nonetheless, OSAT vendors likely have many customers, which increases the risk of accidental sharing of information. There may also be a security vulnerability in the information technology (IT) system of the OSAT facility. Alternatively, a malicious insider at the OSAT facility may carry out an insider attack. Considering these factors, it behooves the chipmaker to minimize any confidential information in the device that may be accessible to the OSAT vendor. Logic errors during design or synthesis could misconfigure the interconnection of the debug components, which could provide improper authorization to sensitive information.
What are the security consequences of Unprotected Confidential Information on Device is Accessible by OSAT Vendors?+
If exploited, CWE-1297 (Unprotected Confidential Information on Device is Accessible by OSAT Vendors) it can compromise Confidentiality, Integrity, Access Control, Authentication, Authorization and Availability, leading to outcomes such as Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, Bypass Protection Mechanism, Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands, Modify Memory and Modify Files or Directories.
How do you prevent or mitigate Unprotected Confidential Information on Device is Accessible by OSAT Vendors?+
Recommended mitigations for CWE-1297 include: Ensure that when an OSAT vendor is allowed to access test interfaces necessary for preproduction and returned parts, the vendor only pulls the minimal information necessary. Also, architect the product in such a way that, when an "unlock device" request comes, it only unlocks that specific part and not all the parts for that product line. Ensure that the product's non-volatile memory (NVM) is scrubbed of all confidential information and secrets before handing it over to an OSAT. Arrange to secure all communication between an OSAT facility and the chipmaker.
How is Unprotected Confidential Information on Device is Accessible by OSAT Vendors detected?+
CWE-1297 can be detected using Architecture or Design Review and Dynamic Analysis with Manual Results Interpretation. Combining automated tooling with manual review typically yields the best coverage.
Which programming languages are affected by Unprotected Confidential Information on Device is Accessible by OSAT Vendors?+
CWE-1297 commonly affects Verilog, VHDL and 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-1297 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.