CAPEC-534
Malicious Hardware Update
An adversary introduces malicious hardware during an update or replacement procedure, allowing for additional compromise or site disruption at the victim location. After deployment, it is not uncommon for upgrades and replacements to occur involving hardware and various replaceable parts. These upgrades and replacements are intended to correct defects, provide additional features, and to replace broken or worn-out parts. However, by forcing or tricking the replacement of a good component with a defective or corrupted component, an adversary can leverage known defects to obtain a desired malicious impact.
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Explain the attack pattern CAPEC-534: Malicious Hardware Update: how it unfolds, what it needs and how to prevent and detect it in my systems. Use https://capec.mitre.org/data/definitions/534.html and https://cve.bz/cve/capec/534?via=ask-ai-copy, which lists recent CVEs with the weaknesses it exploits. Cite the sources.Opens a third-party assistant; its answer is its own, not cve.bz's. The prompt holds only this attack pattern's id and public links.
Skills required
- High skill
Able to develop and manufacture malicious hardware components that perform the same functions and processes as their non-malicious counterparts.
Related attack patterns
- Part of
- CAPEC-440 Hardware Integrity Attack
Examples
An adversary develops a malicious networking card that allows for normal function plus the addition of malici…
An adversary develops a malicious networking card that allows for normal function plus the addition of malicious functionality that is of benefit to the adversary. The adversary sends the victim an email stating that the existing networking card is faulty, and that the victim can order a replacement card free of charge. The victim orders the card, and the adversary sends the malicious networking card. The malicious networking card replaces the perfectly-functioning original networking card, and the adversary is able to take advantage of the additional malicious functionality to further compromise the victim's network.
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