analyzing-crypto-weakness

name	analyzing-crypto-weakness
description	Identifies weak cryptographic algorithms, hardcoded keys, and insecure key management practices in binary code. Use when analyzing encryption/decryption, authentication mechanisms, or reviewing cryptographic implementations.

Cryptographic Weakness Detection

Detection Workflow

1. Identify cryptographic functions: Search for crypto-related function names, encryption/decryption operations, hash function usage
2. Extract crypto parameters: Identify algorithms used, check key sizes and modes, examine IV/nonce handling
3. Check for hardcoded secrets: Use strings to find potential keys, search for common password/key patterns, analyze data sections for secrets
4. Assess implementation security: Check for constant-time comparisons, verify proper padding, assess randomness of IVs/nonces

Key Patterns

• Weak algorithms: DES, 3DES, RC4, MD5, SHA1, ECB mode, small key sizes (<128 bits)
• Hardcoded secrets: passwords/passphrases, keys, IVs/nonces, magic numbers
• Insecure key management: keys embedded in code, plaintext storage, weak RNG, reused IVs/nonces
• Implementation issues: timing attacks, side-channel vulnerabilities, incorrect padding, missing authentication

Output Format

Report with: id, type, subtype, severity, confidence, location, algorithm, mode, key_size, issues, recommendation, cve_references, mitigation.

Severity Guidelines

• CRITICAL: Hardcoded private keys or passwords
• HIGH: Broken algorithms (DES, RC4) in security-critical code
• MEDIUM: Weak algorithms in non-critical code
• LOW: Minor crypto implementation issues

See Also

• patterns.md - Detailed detection patterns and exploitation scenarios
• examples.md - Example analysis cases and code samples
• references.md - CWE references and mitigation strategies