CWE-1279: Cryptographic Operations are run Before Supporting Units are Ready
Performing cryptographic operations without ensuring that the supporting inputs are ready to supply valid data may compromise the cryptographic result.
How it's found
Cryptographic Operations are run Before Supporting Units are Ready is typically found by tracing untrusted input from where it enters the system to the point where it is used without the check or neutralization this weakness describes, combining manual code review with dynamic testing.
Many cryptographic hardware units depend upon other hardware units to supply information to them to produce a securely encrypted result. For example, a cryptographic unit that depends on an external random-number-generator (RNG) unit for entropy must wait until the RNG unit is producing random numbers. If a cryptographic unit retrieves a private encryption key from a fuse unit, the fuse unit must be up and running before a key may be supplied.
Vulnerable vs. safe
If random_number_generator_self_test_passed() == TRUEthen Seed = get_random_number_from_RNG()else Seed = hardcoded_numberIf random_number_generator_self_test_passed() == TRUEthen Seed = get_random_number_from_RNG()else enter_error_state()Consequences
- Varies by Context
Mitigations
- Architecture and Design: Best practices should be used to design cryptographic systems.
- Implementation: Continuously ensuring that cryptographic inputs are supplying valid information is necessary to ensure that the encrypted output is secure.
Where this fits in a TurboPentest engagement
TurboPentest's agentic pentest is powerful and covers a broad range of issues automatically. This particular class is best confirmed in a manual IntegSec engagement, where human pentesters apply deeper methodology and a larger context window than any automated pass.
Frequently asked questions
What is CWE-1279?
Performing cryptographic operations without ensuring that the supporting inputs are ready to supply valid data may compromise the cryptographic result.
How do you find Cryptographic Operations are run Before Supporting Units are Ready?
Cryptographic Operations are run Before Supporting Units are Ready is typically found by tracing untrusted input from where it enters the system to the point where it is used without the check or neutralization this weakness describes, combining manual code review with dynamic testing.
What is the impact of CWE-1279?
Varies by Context
Does TurboPentest test for Cryptographic Operations are run Before Supporting Units are Ready?
TurboPentest's agentic pentest is powerful and covers a broad range of issues automatically. This particular class is best confirmed in a manual IntegSec engagement, where human pentesters apply deeper methodology and a larger context window than any automated pass.
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