Trezor's latest hardware wallets, Safe 3 and Safe 5, face serious security challenges. Ledger Donjon's research team identified vulnerabilities in the devices' microcontrollers that could enable remote hacker access to user funds.
Cryptographic Security Issues in New Devices
Despite upgrades to EAL6+ level security features, all cryptographic operations are still executed on the microcontroller, susceptible to voltage glitching attacks, allowing attackers to extract secrets and modify firmware.
Trezor's Authentication System Fails to Protect Microcontroller
Ledger's findings reveal that Trezor's cryptographic authentication does not verify microcontroller firmware. The Secure Element is linked with the microcontroller by a pre-shared secret, which is vulnerable to voltage glitching.
Firmware Validation Flaws Leave Users Exposed
Firmware integrity checks can be bypassed if attackers manipulate computation, allowing modified firmware to appear genuine and risking private keys and transaction data security.
Security issues related to the microcontroller pose a serious threat to Trezor Safe 3 and Safe 5 users. Although patches and improvements have been made, exploitation risks remain high until microcontroller protection is enhanced.
