Weakness (CWE)
CWE-1254: Incorrect Comparison Logic Granularity
The product's comparison logic is performed over a series of steps rather than across the entire string in one operation. If there is a comparison logic failure on one of these steps, the operation may be vulnerable to a timing attack that can result in the interception of the process for nefarious purposes.
More detail
Comparison logic is used to compare a variety of objects including passwords, Message
Authentication Codes (MACs), and responses to verification challenges. When comparison logic is
implemented at a finer granularity (e.g., byte-by-byte comparison) and breaks in the case of a
comparison failure, an attacker can exploit this implementation to identify when exactly
the failure occurred. With multiple attempts, the attacker may be able to guesses the correct
password/response to challenge and elevate their privileges.
How to prevent it (1 mitigation)
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Implementation
The hardware designer should ensure that comparison logic is implemented so as to compare in one operation instead in smaller chunks.
Source: MITRE CWE-1254
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