CVE-2020-35164 in BSAFE Crypto-C Micro Edition
Summary
by MITRE • 07/12/2022
Dell BSAFE Crypto-C Micro Edition, versions before 4.1.5, and Dell BSAFE Micro Edition Suite,
versions before 4.6, contain an Observable Timing Discrepancy Vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-35164 affects Dell BSAFE Crypto-C Micro Edition and Dell BSAFE Micro Edition Suite products, specifically versions prior to 4.1.5 and 4.6 respectively. This issue represents a significant security weakness that undermines the integrity of cryptographic operations within these software components. The vulnerability manifests as an observable timing discrepancy that can be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or compromise the security of systems relying on these cryptographic libraries.
The technical flaw stems from inconsistent timing behavior in cryptographic operations, where the time taken to execute certain cryptographic functions varies depending on the input data. This timing variation creates observable patterns that attackers can monitor and analyze to infer sensitive information such as cryptographic keys or plaintext data. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-320, which describes weaknesses related to the use of insecure or weak cryptographic algorithms, and more specifically to CWE-324, which addresses the use of insecure or weak cryptographic algorithms that are susceptible to timing attacks. The timing discrepancies occur during critical cryptographic operations including but not limited to key derivation functions, encryption and decryption processes, and digital signature verification procedures.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses serious risks to organizations utilizing Dell BSAFE components in their security infrastructure. Systems relying on these libraries for secure communications, data encryption, and authentication mechanisms become vulnerable to timing-based attacks that can gradually reveal cryptographic secrets through statistical analysis. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform side-channel attacks that are particularly dangerous in environments where sensitive data processing occurs. The vulnerability is especially concerning in high-security applications such as financial services, government communications, and healthcare systems where data protection is paramount. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability relates to technique T1006, which involves the exploitation of credential exposure through timing attacks, and T1583, which covers the development of tools for information gathering and exploitation.
The mitigation strategy involves upgrading to the patched versions of Dell BSAFE Crypto-C Micro Edition 4.1.5 and Dell BSAFE Micro Edition Suite 4.6, which contain implementations that eliminate the timing discrepancies through constant-time cryptographic operations. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems utilizing affected components and prioritize remediation efforts based on risk exposure. Security teams must also implement monitoring solutions capable of detecting anomalous timing patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Additional protective measures include deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify potential timing attack patterns and ensuring that cryptographic libraries are regularly updated as part of overall security maintenance protocols. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of implementing constant-time algorithms in cryptographic implementations and demonstrates the necessity of adhering to security standards that prevent timing-based information leakage.