CWE-1261 - Improper Handling of Single Event Upsets

Weakness Name

Improper Handling of Single Event Upsets

Description

The hardware logic does not effectively handle when single-event upsets (SEUs) occur.

Technology trends such as CMOS-transistor down-sizing, use of new materials, and system-on-chip architectures continue to increase the sensitivity of systems to soft errors. These errors are random, and their causes might be internal (e.g., interconnect coupling) or external (e.g., cosmic radiation). These soft errors are not permanent in nature and cause temporary bit flips known as single-event upsets (SEUs). SEUs are induced errors in circuits caused when charged particles lose energy by ionizing the medium through which they pass, leaving behind a wake of electron-hole pairs that cause temporary failures. If these failures occur in security-sensitive modules in a chip, it might compromise the security guarantees of the chip. For instance, these temporary failures could be bit flips that change the privilege of a regular user to root.

Common Consequences

Related Weaknesses

CWE-1254Incorrect Comparison Logic Granularity

CWE-1384Improper Handling of Physical or Environmental Conditions