CWE-321: Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key

Description

The product uses a hard-coded, unchangeable cryptographic key.

Potential Impact

Access Control

Bypass Protection Mechanism, Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, Read Application Data

Demonstrative Examples

The following code examples attempt to verify a password using a hard-coded cryptographic key.

Bad

int VerifyAdmin(char *password) {
                        if (strcmp(password,"68af404b513073584c4b6f22b6c63e6b")) {
                              
                                 printf("Incorrect Password!\n");return(0);
                           }printf("Entering Diagnostic Mode...\n");return(1);
                     }

Bad

public boolean VerifyAdmin(String password) {if (password.equals("68af404b513073584c4b6f22b6c63e6b")) {System.out.println("Entering Diagnostic Mode...");return true;}System.out.println("Incorrect Password!");return false;

Bad

int VerifyAdmin(String password) {if (password.Equals("68af404b513073584c4b6f22b6c63e6b")) {Console.WriteLine("Entering Diagnostic Mode...");return(1);}Console.WriteLine("Incorrect Password!");return(0);}

The cryptographic key is within a hard-coded string value that is compared to the password. It is likely that an attacker will be able to read the key and compromise the system.

In 2022, the OT:ICEFALL study examined products by 10 different Operational Technology (OT) vendors. The researchers reported 56 vulnerabilities and said that the products were "insecure by design" [REF-1283]. If exploited, these vulnerabilities often allowed adversaries to change how the products operated, ranging from denial of service to changing the code that the products executed. Since these products were often used in industries such as power, electrical, water, and others, there could even be safety implications.
Multiple vendors used hard-coded keys for critical functionality in their OT products.

Mitigations & Prevention

Architecture and Design

Prevention schemes mirror that of hard-coded password storage.

Detection Methods

Automated Static Analysis High — Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then sea

Real-World CVE Examples

CVE ID	Description
CVE-2022-29960	Engineering Workstation uses hard-coded cryptographic keys that could allow for unathorized filesystem access and privilege escalation
CVE-2022-30271	Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) uses a hard-coded SSH private key that is likely to be used by default.
CVE-2020-10884	WiFi router service has a hard-coded encryption key, allowing root access
CVE-2014-2198	Communications / collaboration product has a hardcoded SSH private key, allowing access to root account

Taxonomy Mappings

CLASP: — Use of hard-coded cryptographic key
OWASP Top Ten 2007: A8 — Insecure Cryptographic Storage
OWASP Top Ten 2007: A9 — Insecure Communications
OWASP Top Ten 2004: A8 — Insecure Storage
Software Fault Patterns: SFP33 — Hardcoded sensitive data
ISA/IEC 62443: Part 2-4 — Req SP.03.10 RE(1)
ISA/IEC 62443: Part 2-4 — Req SP.03.10 RE(3)
ISA/IEC 62443: Part 3-3 — Req SR 1.5
ISA/IEC 62443: Part 3-3 — Req SR 4.3
ISA/IEC 62443: Part 4-1 — Req SD-1
ISA/IEC 62443: Part 4-2 — Req SR 4.3
ISA/IEC 62443: Part 4-2 — Req CR 7.3

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CWE-321?

CWE-321 (Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key) is a software weakness identified by MITRE's Common Weakness Enumeration. It is classified as a Variant-level weakness. The product uses a hard-coded, unchangeable cryptographic key.

How can CWE-321 be exploited?

Attackers can exploit CWE-321 (Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key) to bypass protection mechanism, gain privileges or assume identity, read application data. This weakness is typically introduced during the Architecture and Design phase of software development.

How do I prevent CWE-321?

Key mitigations include: Prevention schemes mirror that of hard-coded password storage.

What is the severity of CWE-321?

CWE-321 is classified as a Variant-level weakness (Low-Medium abstraction). It has been observed in 4 real-world CVEs.