CAPEC-522 Malicious Hardware Component Replacement

An adversary replaces legitimate hardware in the system with faulty counterfeit or tampered hardware in the supply chain distribution channel, with purpose of causing malicious disruption or allowing for additional compromise when the system is deployed.

1. [Explore] [Determine Target Hardware] The adversary must first identify a system that they wish to target, and a specific hardware component that they can swap out with a malicious replacement. 2. [Explore] [Discover Vulnerability in Supply Chain] The adversary maps out the supply chain for the targeted system. They look for ooportunities to gain physical access to the system after it has left the manufacturer, but before it is deployed to the victim. 3. [Experiment] [Test a Malicious Component Replacement] Before performing the attack in the wild, an adversary will test the attack on a system they have procured to ensure that the desired outcome will be achieved. 3. [Exploit] [Substitute Components in the Supply Chain] Using the vulnerability in the supply chain of the system discovered in the explore phase, the adversary substitutes the malicious component for the targeted component. This results in the adversary gaining unintended access to systems once they reach the victim and can lead to a variety of follow up attacks.

• Physical access to the system after it has left the manufacturer but before it is deployed at the victim location.

• [High] Advanced knowledge of the design of the system. • [High] Hardware creation and manufacture of replacement components.

• Ensure that all contractors and sub-suppliers use trusted means of shipping (e.g., bonded/cleared/vetted and insured couriers) to ensure that components, once purchased, are not subject to compromise during their delivery. • Prevent or detect tampering with critical hardware or firmware components while in transit through use of state-of-the-art anti-tamper devices. • Use tamper-resistant and tamper-evident packaging when shipping critical components (e.g., plastic coating for circuit boards, tamper tape, paint, sensors, and/or seals for cases and containers) and inspect received system components for evidence of tampering.