CWE-1274 Improper Access Control for Volatile Memory Containing Boot Code

The product conducts a secure-boot process that transfers bootloader code from Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) into Volatile Memory (VM), but it does not have sufficient access control or other protections for the Volatile Memory.

• Access Control, Integrity: Modify Memory, Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands, Gain Privileges or Assume Identity — If the volatile-memory-region protections or access controls are insufficient to prevent modifications from an adversary or untrusted agent, the secure boot may be bypassed or replaced with the execution of an adversary's own code.

• [Architecture and Design] Ensure that the design of volatile-memory protections is enough to prevent modification from an adversary or untrusted code. • [Testing] Test the volatile-memory protections to ensure they are safe from modification or untrusted code.

• Manual Analysis: Ensure the volatile memory is lockable or has locks. Ensure the volatile memory is locked for writes from untrusted agents or adversaries. Try modifying the volatile memory from an untrusted agent, and ensure these writes are dropped. • Manual Analysis: Analyze the device using the following steps: • Identify all fabric master agents that are active during system Boot Flow when initial code is loaded from Non-volatile storage to volatile memory. • Identify the volatile memory regions that are used for storing loaded system executable program. • During system boot, test programming the identified memory regions in step 2 from all the masters identified in step 1. Only trusted masters should be allowed to write to the memory regions. For example, pluggable device peripherals should not have write access to program load memory regions.

• CVE-2019-2267: Locked memory regions may be modified through other interfaces in a secure-boot-loader image due to improper access control.