| Impact | Details |
|---|---|
|
Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Modify Memory |
Scope: Integrity, Confidentiality, Availability
If the memory accessible by the attacker can be effectively controlled, it may be possible to execute arbitrary code, as with a standard buffer overflow. If the attacker can overwrite a pointer's worth of memory (usually 32 or 64 bits), they can alter the intended control flow by redirecting a function pointer to their own malicious code. Even when the attacker can only modify a single byte arbitrary code execution can be possible. Sometimes this is because the same problem can be exploited repeatedly to the same effect. Other times it is because the attacker can overwrite security-critical application-specific data -- such as a flag indicating whether the user is an administrator.
|
|
Read Memory; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU); DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory) |
Scope: Availability, Confidentiality
Out of bounds memory access will very likely result in the corruption of relevant memory, and perhaps instructions, possibly leading to a crash. Other attacks leading to lack of availability are possible, including putting the program into an infinite loop.
|
|
Read Memory |
Scope: Confidentiality
In the case of an out-of-bounds read, the attacker may have access to sensitive information. If the sensitive information contains system details, such as the current buffer's position in memory, this knowledge can be used to craft further attacks, possibly with more severe consequences.
|
| Phase(s) | Mitigation |
|---|---|
|
Requirements |
Strategy: Language Selection Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer. Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe. |
|
Architecture and Design |
Strategy: Libraries or Frameworks Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega [REF-57], and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft [REF-56]. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions. Note:
This is not a complete solution, since many buffer overflows are not related to strings.
|
|
Operation; Build and Compilation |
Strategy: Environment Hardening Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND [REF-1334] discusses canary-based detection in detail. Effectiveness: Defense in Depth Note:
This is not necessarily a complete solution, since these mechanisms only detect certain types of overflows. In addition, the result is still a denial of service, since the typical response is to exit the application. |
|
Implementation |
Consider adhering to the following rules when allocating and managing an application's memory:
|
|
Operation; Build and Compilation |
Strategy: Environment Hardening Run or compile the software using features or extensions that randomly arrange the positions of a program's executable and libraries in memory. Because this makes the addresses unpredictable, it can prevent an attacker from reliably jumping to exploitable code. Examples include Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) [REF-58] [REF-60] and Position-Independent Executables (PIE) [REF-64]. Imported modules may be similarly realigned if their default memory addresses conflict with other modules, in a process known as "rebasing" (for Windows) and "prelinking" (for Linux) [REF-1332] using randomly generated addresses. ASLR for libraries cannot be used in conjunction with prelink since it would require relocating the libraries at run-time, defeating the whole purpose of prelinking. For more information on these techniques see D3-SAOR (Segment Address Offset Randomization) from D3FEND [REF-1335]. Effectiveness: Defense in Depth |
|
Operation |
Strategy: Environment Hardening Use a CPU and operating system that offers Data Execution Protection (using hardware NX or XD bits) or the equivalent techniques that simulate this feature in software, such as PaX [REF-60] [REF-61]. These techniques ensure that any instruction executed is exclusively at a memory address that is part of the code segment. For more information on these techniques see D3-PSEP (Process Segment Execution Prevention) from D3FEND [REF-1336]. Effectiveness: Defense in Depth Note:
This is not a complete solution, since buffer overflows could be used to overwrite nearby variables to modify the software's state in dangerous ways. In addition, it cannot be used in cases in which self-modifying code is required. Finally, an attack could still cause a denial of service, since the typical response is to exit the application.
|
|
Implementation |
Replace unbounded copy functions with analogous functions that support length arguments, such as strcpy with strncpy. Create these if they are not available.
Effectiveness: Moderate |
| Nature | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChildOf | Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. | 118 | Incorrect Access of Indexable Resource ('Range Error') |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 125 | Out-of-bounds Read |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 466 | Return of Pointer Value Outside of Expected Range |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 786 | Access of Memory Location Before Start of Buffer |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 787 | Out-of-bounds Write |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 788 | Access of Memory Location After End of Buffer |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 805 | Buffer Access with Incorrect Length Value |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 822 | Untrusted Pointer Dereference |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 823 | Use of Out-of-range Pointer Offset |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 824 | Access of Uninitialized Pointer |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 825 | Expired Pointer Dereference |
| CanFollow | Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. | 20 | Improper Input Validation |
| CanFollow | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 128 | Wrap-around Error |
| CanFollow | Variant Variant - a weakness that is linked to a certain type of product, typically involving a specific language or technology. More specific than a Base weakness. Variant level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 3 to 5 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 129 | Improper Validation of Array Index |
| CanFollow | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 131 | Incorrect Calculation of Buffer Size |
| CanFollow | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 190 | Integer Overflow or Wraparound |
| CanFollow | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 193 | Off-by-one Error |
| CanFollow | Variant Variant - a weakness that is linked to a certain type of product, typically involving a specific language or technology. More specific than a Base weakness. Variant level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 3 to 5 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 195 | Signed to Unsigned Conversion Error |
| CanFollow | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 839 | Numeric Range Comparison Without Minimum Check |
| CanFollow | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 843 | Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type ('Type Confusion') |
| CanFollow | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 1257 | Improper Access Control Applied to Mirrored or Aliased Memory Regions |
| CanFollow | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 1260 | Improper Handling of Overlap Between Protected Memory Ranges |
| CanFollow | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 1339 | Insufficient Precision or Accuracy of a Real Number |
| Nature | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| MemberOf | View View - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). | 1003 | Weaknesses for Simplified Mapping of Published Vulnerabilities |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 120 | Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow') |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 125 | Out-of-bounds Read |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 787 | Out-of-bounds Write |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 824 | Access of Uninitialized Pointer |
| Nature | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 125 | Out-of-bounds Read |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 130 | Improper Handling of Length Parameter Inconsistency |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 786 | Access of Memory Location Before Start of Buffer |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 787 | Out-of-bounds Write |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 788 | Access of Memory Location After End of Buffer |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 805 | Buffer Access with Incorrect Length Value |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 822 | Untrusted Pointer Dereference |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 823 | Use of Out-of-range Pointer Offset |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 824 | Access of Uninitialized Pointer |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 825 | Expired Pointer Dereference |
| Nature | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 123 | Write-what-where Condition |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 125 | Out-of-bounds Read |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 130 | Improper Handling of Length Parameter Inconsistency |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 786 | Access of Memory Location Before Start of Buffer |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 787 | Out-of-bounds Write |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 788 | Access of Memory Location After End of Buffer |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 805 | Buffer Access with Incorrect Length Value |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 822 | Untrusted Pointer Dereference |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 823 | Use of Out-of-range Pointer Offset |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 824 | Access of Uninitialized Pointer |
| ParentOf | Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. | 825 | Expired Pointer Dereference |
| Nature | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChildOf | Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. | 20 | Improper Input Validation |
| Phase | Note |
|---|---|
| Implementation |
C (Often Prevalent)
C++ (Often Prevalent)
Class: Assembly (Undetermined Prevalence)
Example 1
This example takes an IP address from a user, verifies that it is well formed and then looks up the hostname and copies it into a buffer.
This function allocates a buffer of 64 bytes to store the hostname, however there is no guarantee that the hostname will not be larger than 64 bytes. If an attacker specifies an address which resolves to a very large hostname, then the function may overwrite sensitive data or even relinquish control flow to the attacker.
Note that this example also contains an unchecked return value (CWE-252) that can lead to a NULL pointer dereference (CWE-476).
Example 2
This example applies an encoding procedure to an input string and stores it into a buffer.
The programmer attempts to encode the ampersand character in the user-controlled string, however the length of the string is validated before the encoding procedure is applied. Furthermore, the programmer assumes encoding expansion will only expand a given character by a factor of 4, while the encoding of the ampersand expands by 5. As a result, when the encoding procedure expands the string it is possible to overflow the destination buffer if the attacker provides a string of many ampersands.
Example 3
The following example asks a user for an offset into an array to select an item.
The programmer allows the user to specify which element in the list to select, however an attacker can provide an out-of-bounds offset, resulting in a buffer over-read (CWE-126).
Example 4
In the following code, the method retrieves a value from an array at a specific array index location that is given as an input parameter to the method
However, this method only verifies that the given array index is less than the maximum length of the array but does not check for the minimum value (CWE-839). This will allow a negative value to be accepted as the input array index, which will result in reading data before the beginning of the buffer (CWE-127) and may allow access to sensitive memory. The input array index should be checked to verify that is within the maximum and minimum range required for the array (CWE-129). In this example the if statement should be modified to include a minimum range check, as shown below.
Example 5
Windows provides the _mbs family of functions to perform various operations on multibyte strings. When these functions are passed a malformed multibyte string, such as a string containing a valid leading byte followed by a single null byte, they can read or write past the end of the string buffer causing a buffer overflow. The following functions all pose a risk of buffer overflow: _mbsinc _mbsdec _mbsncat _mbsncpy _mbsnextc _mbsnset _mbsrev _mbsset _mbsstr _mbstok _mbccpy _mbslen
Note: this is a curated list of examples for users to understand the variety of ways in which this weakness can be introduced. It is not a complete list of all CVEs that are related to this CWE entry.
| Reference | Description |
|---|---|
|
Incorrect URI normalization in application traffic product leads to buffer overflow, as exploited in the wild per CISA KEV.
|
|
|
Buffer overflow in Wi-Fi router web interface, as exploited in the wild per CISA KEV.
|
|
|
Classic stack-based buffer overflow in media player using a long entry in a playlist
|
|
|
Heap-based buffer overflow in media player using a long entry in a playlist
|
|
|
large precision value in a format string triggers overflow
|
|
|
negative offset value leads to out-of-bounds read
|
|
|
malformed inputs cause accesses of uninitialized or previously-deleted objects, leading to memory corruption
|
|
|
chain: lack of synchronization leads to memory corruption
|
|
|
attacker-controlled array index leads to code execution
|
|
|
chain: -1 value from a function call was intended to indicate an error, but is used as an array index instead.
|
|
|
chain: incorrect calculations lead to incorrect pointer dereference and memory corruption
|
|
|
product accepts crafted messages that lead to a dereference of an arbitrary pointer
|
|
|
chain: malformed input causes dereference of uninitialized memory
|
|
|
OS kernel trusts userland-supplied length value, allowing reading of sensitive information
|
|
|
Chain: integer overflow in securely-coded mail program leads to buffer overflow. In 2005, this was regarded as unrealistic to exploit, but in 2020, it was rediscovered to be easier to exploit due to evolutions of the technology.
|
|
|
buffer overflow involving a regular expression with a large number of captures
|
|
| Method | Details |
|---|---|
|
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 Note: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.
|
|
Automated Static Analysis - Binary or Bytecode |
According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful: Cost effective for partial coverage:
Effectiveness: SOAR Partial |
|
Manual Static Analysis - Binary or Bytecode |
According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful: Cost effective for partial coverage:
Effectiveness: SOAR Partial |
|
Dynamic Analysis with Automated Results Interpretation |
According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful: Cost effective for partial coverage:
Effectiveness: SOAR Partial |
|
Dynamic Analysis with Manual Results Interpretation |
According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful: Cost effective for partial coverage:
Effectiveness: SOAR Partial |
|
Manual Static Analysis - Source Code |
According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful: Cost effective for partial coverage:
Effectiveness: SOAR Partial |
|
Automated Static Analysis - Source Code |
According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful: Highly cost effective:
Cost effective for partial coverage:
Effectiveness: High |
|
Architecture or Design Review |
According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful: Highly cost effective:
Cost effective for partial coverage:
Effectiveness: High |
| Nature | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| MemberOf | ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). | 635 | Weaknesses Originally Used by NVD from 2008 to 2016 |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 726 | OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A5 - Buffer Overflows |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 740 | CERT C Secure Coding Standard (2008) Chapter 7 - Arrays (ARR) |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 741 | CERT C Secure Coding Standard (2008) Chapter 8 - Characters and Strings (STR) |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 742 | CERT C Secure Coding Standard (2008) Chapter 9 - Memory Management (MEM) |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 743 | CERT C Secure Coding Standard (2008) Chapter 10 - Input Output (FIO) |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 744 | CERT C Secure Coding Standard (2008) Chapter 11 - Environment (ENV) |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 752 | 2009 Top 25 - Risky Resource Management |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 874 | CERT C++ Secure Coding Section 06 - Arrays and the STL (ARR) |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 875 | CERT C++ Secure Coding Section 07 - Characters and Strings (STR) |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 876 | CERT C++ Secure Coding Section 08 - Memory Management (MEM) |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 877 | CERT C++ Secure Coding Section 09 - Input Output (FIO) |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 878 | CERT C++ Secure Coding Section 10 - Environment (ENV) |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 970 | SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 1157 | SEI CERT C Coding Standard - Guidelines 03. Expressions (EXP) |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 1160 | SEI CERT C Coding Standard - Guidelines 06. Arrays (ARR) |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 1161 | SEI CERT C Coding Standard - Guidelines 07. Characters and Strings (STR) |
| MemberOf | ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). | 1200 | Weaknesses in the 2019 CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Errors |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 1306 | CISQ Quality Measures - Reliability |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 1308 | CISQ Quality Measures - Security |
| MemberOf | ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). | 1337 | Weaknesses in the 2021 CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses |
| MemberOf | ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). | 1340 | CISQ Data Protection Measures |
| MemberOf | ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). | 1350 | Weaknesses in the 2020 CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses |
| MemberOf | ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). | 1387 | Weaknesses in the 2022 CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses |
| MemberOf | CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. | 1399 | Comprehensive Categorization: Memory Safety |
| MemberOf | ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). | 1425 | Weaknesses in the 2023 CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses |
| MemberOf | ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). | 1430 | Weaknesses in the 2024 CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses |
Rationale
CWE-119 is commonly misused in low-information vulnerability reports when lower-level CWEs could be used instead, or when more details about the vulnerability are available.Applicable Platform
It is possible in any programming languages without memory management support to attempt an operation outside of the bounds of a memory buffer, but the consequences will vary widely depending on the language, platform, and chip architecture.
| Mapped Taxonomy Name | Node ID | Fit | Mapped Node Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| OWASP Top Ten 2004 | A5 | Exact | Buffer Overflows |
| CERT C Secure Coding | ARR00-C | Understand how arrays work | |
| CERT C Secure Coding | ARR30-C | CWE More Abstract | Do not form or use out-of-bounds pointers or array subscripts |
| CERT C Secure Coding | ARR38-C | CWE More Abstract | Guarantee that library functions do not form invalid pointers |
| CERT C Secure Coding | ENV01-C | Do not make assumptions about the size of an environment variable | |
| CERT C Secure Coding | EXP39-C | Imprecise | Do not access a variable through a pointer of an incompatible type |
| CERT C Secure Coding | FIO37-C | Do not assume character data has been read | |
| CERT C Secure Coding | STR31-C | CWE More Abstract | Guarantee that storage for strings has sufficient space for character data and the null terminator |
| CERT C Secure Coding | STR32-C | CWE More Abstract | Do not pass a non-null-terminated character sequence to a library function that expects a string |
| WASC | 7 | Buffer Overflow | |
| Software Fault Patterns | SFP8 | Faulty Buffer Access |
| CAPEC-ID | Attack Pattern Name |
|---|---|
| CAPEC-10 | Buffer Overflow via Environment Variables |
| CAPEC-100 | Overflow Buffers |
| CAPEC-123 | Buffer Manipulation |
| CAPEC-14 | Client-side Injection-induced Buffer Overflow |
| CAPEC-24 | Filter Failure through Buffer Overflow |
| CAPEC-42 | MIME Conversion |
| CAPEC-44 | Overflow Binary Resource File |
| CAPEC-45 | Buffer Overflow via Symbolic Links |
| CAPEC-46 | Overflow Variables and Tags |
| CAPEC-47 | Buffer Overflow via Parameter Expansion |
| CAPEC-8 | Buffer Overflow in an API Call |
| CAPEC-9 | Buffer Overflow in Local Command-Line Utilities |
| Submissions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Submission Date | Submitter | Organization | |
|
2006年07月19日
(CWE Draft 3, 2006年07月19日) |
PLOVER | ||
| Contributions | |||
| Contribution Date | Contributor | Organization | |
|
2024年02月29日
(CWE 4.15, 2024年07月16日) |
Abhi Balakrishnan | ||
| Provided diagram to improve CWE usability | |||
| Modifications | |||
| Modification Date | Modifier | Organization | |
|
2025年09月09日
(CWE 4.18, 2025年09月09日) |
CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Demonstrative_Examples, Detection_Factors, Functional_Areas, References | |||
|
2025年04月03日
(CWE 4.17, 2025年04月03日) |
CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Relationships | |||
|
2024年11月19日
(CWE 4.16, 2024年11月19日) |
CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Description, Relationships | |||
|
2024年07月16日
(CWE 4.15, 2024年07月16日) |
CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Alternate_Terms, Background_Details, Common_Consequences, Description, Diagram | |||
| 2023年06月29日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Mapping_Notes, Relationships | |||
| 2023年04月27日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships, Time_of_Introduction | |||
| 2023年01月31日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Alternate_Terms, Description | |||
| 2022年10月13日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings | |||
| 2022年06月28日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Observed_Examples, Relationships | |||
| 2021年07月20日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Demonstrative_Examples, Observed_Examples, Potential_Mitigations, Relationships | |||
| 2020年12月10日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Alternate_Terms, Observed_Examples, Relationships | |||
| 2020年08月20日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Alternate_Terms, Relationships | |||
| 2020年06月25日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Relationships | |||
| 2020年02月24日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings, Time_of_Introduction | |||
| 2019年09月19日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated References, Relationships | |||
| 2019年06月20日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships | |||
| 2019年01月03日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Relationships | |||
| 2018年03月27日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated References | |||
| 2017年11月08日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Applicable_Platforms, Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Observed_Examples, References, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings | |||
| 2017年05月03日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Relationships | |||
| 2017年01月19日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Relationships | |||
| 2015年12月07日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Relationships | |||
| 2014年07月30日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Detection_Factors, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings | |||
| 2014年02月18日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Potential_Mitigations, References | |||
| 2013年02月21日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Demonstrative_Examples | |||
| 2012年10月30日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Potential_Mitigations | |||
| 2012年05月11日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Demonstrative_Examples, Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships | |||
| 2011年09月13日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings | |||
| 2011年06月01日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Common_Consequences, Relationships | |||
| 2011年03月29日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Relationships | |||
| 2010年12月13日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Name | |||
| 2010年09月27日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Potential_Mitigations, Relationships | |||
| 2010年06月21日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Potential_Mitigations | |||
| 2010年02月16日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Alternate_Terms, Applicable_Platforms, Demonstrative_Examples, Detection_Factors, Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings | |||
| 2009年12月28日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Detection_Factors, Observed_Examples | |||
| 2009年10月29日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Applicable_Platforms, Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Description, Relationships, Time_of_Introduction | |||
| 2009年07月27日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Observed_Examples | |||
| 2009年05月27日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Demonstrative_Examples | |||
| 2009年03月10日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Potential_Mitigations | |||
| 2009年01月12日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Applicable_Platforms, Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Likelihood_of_Exploit, Name, Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships | |||
| 2008年11月24日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings | |||
| 2008年10月14日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Relationships | |||
| 2008年09月08日 | CWE Content Team | MITRE | |
| updated Description, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings | |||
| 2008年08月15日 | Veracode | ||
| Suggested OWASP Top Ten 2004 mapping | |||
| 2008年07月01日 | Eric Dalci | Cigital | |
| updated Time_of_Introduction | |||
| Previous Entry Names | |||
| Change Date | Previous Entry Name | ||
| 2008年04月11日 | Buffer Errors | ||
| 2009年01月12日 | Failure to Constrain Operations within the Bounds of an Allocated Memory Buffer | ||
| 2010年12月13日 | Failure to Constrain Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer | ||
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