CWE-1310 Missing Ability to Patch ROM Code

Missing an ability to patch ROM code may leave a System or System-on-Chip (SoC) in a vulnerable state.

A System or System-on-Chip (SoC) that implements a boot process utilizing security mechanisms such as Root-of-Trust (RoT) typically starts by executing code from a Read-only-Memory (ROM) component.

• Other: Varies by Context, Reduce Maintainability — Because the code in ROM is immutable, the ROM does not have the ability to patch after the system gets shipped. Hence any security vulnerabilities discovered in the ROM code can never be fixed for the systems that are already in use. Thus the system can be left in a vulnerable state where an adversary can compromise the SoC..

• [Architecture and Design, Implementation] Secure patch support to allow ROM code to be patched on the next boot. • [Architecture and Design, Implementation] Support patches that can be programmed in-field or during manufacturing through hardware fuses. This feature can be used for limited patching of devices after shipping, or for the next batch of silicon devices manufactured, without changing the full device ROM.