470
Nature Type ID Name Page
MemberOf 977 SFP Secondary Cluster: Design 888 2407
MemberOf 1397 Comprehensive Categorization: Comparison 1400 2523
Notes
Relationship
This is conceptually similar to other weaknesses, such as insufficient verification and regular
expression errors. It is primary to some weaknesses.
Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Partial Comparison
CWE-188: Reliance on Data/Memory Layout
Weakness ID : 188
Structure : Simple
Abstraction : Base
Description
The product makes invalid assumptions about how protocol data or memory is organized at a lower
level, resulting in unintended program behavior.
Extended Description
When changing platforms or protocol versions, in-memory organization of data may change in
unintended ways. For example, some architectures may place local variables A and B right next to
each other with A on top; some may place them next to each other with B on top; and others may
add some padding to each. The padding size may vary to ensure that each variable is aligned to a
proper word size.
In protocol implementations, it is common to calculate an offset relative to another field to pick
out a specific piece of data. Exceptional conditions, often involving new protocol versions, may
add corner cases that change the data layout in an unusual way. The result can be that an
implementation accesses an unintended field in the packet, treating data of one type as data of
another type.
Relationships
The table(s) below shows the weaknesses and high level categories that are related to this
weakness. These relationships are defined as ChildOf, ParentOf, MemberOr and give insight to
similar items that may exist at higher and lower levels of abstraction. In addition, relationships such
as PeerOf and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that may want to be explored.
Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (CWE-1000)
Nature Type ID Name Page
ChildOf 435 Improper Interaction Between Multiple Correctly-Behaving
Entities