CAPEC-520 Counterfeit Hardware Component Inserted During Product Assembly

CAPEC ID: 520

CAPEC-520 Metadata

Likelihood of Attack

Low

Typical Severity

High

Overview

Summary

An adversary with either direct access to the product assembly process or to the supply of subcomponents used in the product assembly process introduces counterfeit hardware components into product assembly. The assembly containing the counterfeit components results in a system specifically designed for malicious purposes.

Prerequisites

The adversary will need either physical access or be able to supply malicious hardware components to the product development facility.

Potential Solutions / Mitigations

Hardware attacks are often difficult to detect, as inserted components can be difficult to identify or remain dormant for an extended period of time. Acquire hardware and hardware components from trusted vendors. Additionally, determine where vendors purchase components or if any components are created/acquired via subcontractors to determine where supply chain risks may exist.

Related CAPECs

CAPEC ID Description
CAPEC-444 An adversary modifies a technology, product, or component during its development to acheive a negative impact once the system is deployed. The goal of the adversary is to modify the system in such a way that the negative impact can be leveraged when the system is later deployed. Development alteration attacks may include attacks that insert malicious logic into the system's software, modify or replace hardware components, and other attacks which negatively impact the system during development. These attacks generally require insider access to modify source code or to tamper with hardware components. The product is then delivered to the user where the negative impact can be leveraged at a later time.

Taxonomy Mappings

Taxonomy: ATTACK

Entry ID Entry Name
1195.003 Supply Chain Compromise: Compromise Hardware Supply Chain

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