Description
The reserved bits in a hardware design are not disabled prior to production. Typically, reserved bits are used for future capabilities and should not support any functional logic in the design. However, designers might covertly use these bits to debug or further develop new capabilities in production hardware. Adversaries with access to these bits will write to them in hopes of compromising hardware state.
Modes of Introduction:
– Architecture and Design
Related Weaknesses
Consequences
Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, Access Control, Accountability, Authentication, Authorization, Non-Repudiation: Varies by Context
This type of weakness all depends on the capabilities of the logic being controlled or configured by the reserved bits
Potential Mitigations
Phase: Architecture and Design, Implementation
Description:
Phase: Integration
Description: