CWE-347

What is CWE-347 (Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature)?

The product does not verify or incorrectly verifies the cryptographic signature for data, allowing an attacker to provide tampered content.

Vulnerability Insights

Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature (CWE-347) represents a significant security risk across modern software systems. This weakness enables attackers to exploit cryptography flaws in applications, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or remote code execution. Organizations must implement defense-in-depth strategies combining static analysis, runtime monitoring, and binary analysis to detect and mitigate these vulnerabilities.

Impact on Systems

• Compromise of Application Integrity: Predictable execution flow is disrupted
• Potential Data Exposure: Depending on context, sensitive configurations may leak
• Availability Risks: Unexpected states leading to temporary denial of service

Real-World Attack Scenario

An attacker probes the system interfaces to identify areas where the input or state related to Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature is improperly handled. Once identified, they craft a payload tailored to the specific backend architecture. By exploiting the lack of robust structural validation, the attacker is able to force the application into an unintended state, bypassing standard business logic and achieving unauthorized outcomes.

Code Examples

Vulnerable Implementation

// VULNERABLE: Unvalidated input leading to Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature
function processInput(data) {
    // Missing strict validation or sanitization
    executeOrStoreConfig(data);
}

Secure Alternative

// SECURE: Proper validation mitigating Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature
function processInput(data) {
    if (!isValid(data)) throw new Error('Invalid input');
    const safeData = sanitize(data);
    executeOrStoreConfig(safeData);
}

Detection with Precogs AI

Precogs AI identifies missing or weak signature verification in binary update mechanisms and Secure Boot chains. Our binary analysis engine examines compiled artifacts without requiring source code access, identifying CWE-347 patterns in vendor software, containers, firmware, and third-party libraries.

Remediation

Implement proper cryptography controls following secure coding guidelines. Use automated scanning tools like Precogs AI to continuously monitor for CWE-347 vulnerabilities across your software supply chain. Apply the principle of least privilege and validate all inputs from untrusted sources.