293
Relevant to the view "Software Development" (CWE-699)
Nature Type ID Name Page
MemberOf 1218 Memory Buffer Errors 2479
Applicable Platforms
Language : C (Prevalence = Often)
Language : C++ (Prevalence = Often)
Language : Assembly (Prevalence = Undetermined)
Technology : ICS/OT (Prevalence = Often)
Alternate Terms
Memory Corruption : Often used to describe the consequences of writing to memory outside the
bounds of a buffer, or to memory that is invalid, when the root cause is something other than a
sequential copy of excessive data from a fixed starting location. This may include issues such as
incorrect pointer arithmetic, accessing invalid pointers due to incomplete initialization or memory
release, etc.
Likelihood Of Exploit
High
Common Consequences
Scope Impact Likelihood
Integrity
Availability
Modify Memory
DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
Detection Methods
Automated Static Analysis
This weakness can often be detected using automated static analysis tools. Many modern tools
use data flow analysis or constraint-based techniques to minimize the number of false positives.
Automated static analysis generally does not account for environmental considerations when
reporting out-of-bounds memory operations. This can make it difficult for users to determine
which warnings should be investigated first. For example, an analysis tool might report buffer
overflows that originate from command line arguments in a program that is not expected to run
with setuid or other special privileges.
Effectiveness = High
Detection techniques for buffer-related errors are more mature than for most other weakness
types.
Automated Dynamic Analysis
This weakness can be detected using dynamic tools and techniques that interact with the
software using large test suites with many diverse inputs, such as fuzz testing (fuzzing),
robustness testing, and fault injection. The software's operation may slow down, but it should not
become unstable, crash, or generate incorrect results.
CWE Version 4.14
CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write
CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write