CWE-1248 Base Incomplete

Semiconductor Defects in Hardware Logic with Security-Sensitive Implications

A security-critical hardware component contains physical flaws in its semiconductor material, which can cause it to malfunction and undermine its security features.

Definition

What is CWE-1248?

A security-critical hardware component contains physical flaws in its semiconductor material, which can cause it to malfunction and undermine its security features.
Semiconductor defects are physical imperfections in a chip that can arise from manufacturing errors, material aging, or operation under extreme stress. Common causes include failures in the packaging, wire bonds, metal layers (like corrosion or electromigration), or the silicon oxide layer itself. These defects typically force specific internal signals, inputs, or outputs to become permanently stuck at a logical high (1) or low (0) state, preventing them from switching correctly. When these stuck-at faults occur within a hardware module responsible for security functions—such as encryption, secure boot, or key storage—the module can no longer operate as designed. This failure can directly compromise the device's security objectives, allowing for bypasses, data leakage, or a complete loss of security guarantees. Understanding these failure modes is crucial for designing robust hardware with appropriate safeguards and testing.
Real-world impact

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1248

No public CVE references are linked to this CWE in MITRE's catalog yet.

How attackers exploit it

Step-by-step attacker path

  1. 1

    Identify a code path that handles untrusted input without validation.

  2. 2

    Craft a payload that exercises the unsafe behavior — injection, traversal, overflow, or logic abuse.

  3. 3

    Deliver the payload through a normal request and observe the application's reaction.

  4. 4

    Iterate until the response leaks data, executes attacker code, or escalates privileges.

Vulnerable code example

Vulnerable Other

The network-on-chip implements a firewall for access control to peripherals from all IP cores capable of mastering transactions.

Vulnerable Other 
A manufacturing defect in this logic manifests itself as a logical fault, which always sets the output of the filter to "allow" access.
Secure code example

Secure pseudo

Secure pseudo 
// Validate, sanitize, or use a safe API before reaching the sink.
function handleRequest(input) {
  const safe = validateAndEscape(input);
  return executeWithGuards(safe);
}
What changed: the unsafe sink is replaced (or the input is validated/escaped) so the same payload no longer triggers the weakness.
Prevention checklist

How to prevent CWE-1248

  • Testing While semiconductor-manufacturing companies implement several mechanisms to continuously improve the semiconductor manufacturing process to ensure reduction of defects, some defects can only be fixed after manufacturing. Post-manufacturing testing of silicon die is critical. Fault models such as stuck-at-0 or stuck-at-1 must be used to develop post-manufacturing test cases and achieve good coverage. Once the silicon packaging is done, extensive post-silicon testing must be performed to ensure that hardware logic implementing security functionalities is defect-free.
  • Operation Operating the hardware outside device specification, such as at extremely high temperatures, voltage, etc., accelerates semiconductor degradation and results in defects. When these defects manifest as faults in security-critical, hardware modules, it results in compromise of security guarantees. Thus, operating the device within the specification is important.
Detection signals

How to detect CWE-1248

SAST High

Run static analysis (SAST) on the codebase looking for the unsafe pattern in the data flow.

DAST Moderate

Run dynamic application security testing against the live endpoint.

Runtime Moderate

Watch runtime logs for unusual exception traces, malformed input, or authorization bypass attempts.

Code review Moderate

Code review: flag any new code that handles input from this surface without using the validated framework helpers.

Plexicus auto-fix

Plexicus auto-detects CWE-1248 and opens a fix PR in under 60 seconds.

Codex Remedium scans every commit, identifies this exact weakness, and ships a reviewer-ready pull request with the patch. No tickets. No hand-offs.

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Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

What is CWE-1248?

A security-critical hardware component contains physical flaws in its semiconductor material, which can cause it to malfunction and undermine its security features.

How serious is CWE-1248?

MITRE has not published a likelihood-of-exploit rating for this weakness. Treat it as medium-impact until your threat model proves otherwise.

What languages or platforms are affected by CWE-1248?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Not OS-Specific, Not Architecture-Specific, Not Technology-Specific.

How can I prevent CWE-1248?

While semiconductor-manufacturing companies implement several mechanisms to continuously improve the semiconductor manufacturing process to ensure reduction of defects, some defects can only be fixed after manufacturing. Post-manufacturing testing of silicon die is critical. Fault models such as stuck-at-0 or stuck-at-1 must be used to develop post-manufacturing test cases and achieve good coverage. Once the silicon packaging is done, extensive post-silicon testing must be performed to ensure…

How does Plexicus detect and fix CWE-1248?

Plexicus's SAST engine matches the data-flow signature for CWE-1248 on every commit. When a match is found, our Codex Remedium agent opens a fix PR with the corrected code, tests, and a one-line summary for the reviewer.

Where can I learn more about CWE-1248?

MITRE publishes the canonical definition at https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1248.html. You can also reference OWASP and NIST documentation for adjacent guidance.

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Weaknesses related to CWE-1248

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CWE-1269 Sibling

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CWE-1278 Sibling

Missing Protection Against Hardware Reverse Engineering Using Integrated Circuit (IC) Imaging Techniques

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CWE-1291 Sibling

Public Key Re-Use for Signing both Debug and Production Code

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CWE-1318 Sibling

Missing Support for Security Features in On-chip Fabrics or Buses

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CWE-1319 Sibling

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This vulnerability occurs when a hardware device lacks sufficient shielding against electromagnetic interference, allowing attackers to…

CWE-1326 Sibling

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Resources

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