Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-787

Weakness Allowed-with-Review

Out-of-bounds Write

Abstraction: Base · Status: Draft

The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

Dimensions

  • Behavior-Type: Write
  • Resource-Type: Memory Buffer
  • Resource-Property: Out-of-bounds
Mapping guidance

This CWE entry is at the Base level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities. However, closer examination is required.

While this CWE is allowed for mapping, it has more specific children that might be a better fit. Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is appropriate. Consider the root cause errors that have led to the out-of-bounds write by examining "CanFollow" relationships for this entry.

Relationships and members
ChildOf: CWE-119 · View CWE-1000
ChildOf: CWE-119 · View CWE-1003
ChildOf: CWE-119 · View CWE-1305
ChildOf: CWE-119 · View CWE-1340
Modes of introduction
Implementation
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.

Automated Dynamic Analysis

Use tools that are integrated during compilation to insert runtime error-checking mechanisms related to memory safety errors, such as AddressSanitizer (ASan) for C/C++ [REF-1518].

Effectiveness: Moderate

Crafted inputs are necessary to reach the code containing the error, such as generated by fuzzers. Also, these tools may reduce performance, and they only report the error condition - not the original mistake that led to the error.

Content history
Submission: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2009-10-21 · CWE 1.6
Contribution: "Mapping CWE to 62443" Sub-Working Group · CWE-CAPEC ICS/OT SIG · 2023-04-25 · CWE 4.11

Suggested mappings to ISA/IEC 62443.

Contribution: Abhi Balakrishnan · 2024-02-29 · CWE 4.15

Provided diagram to improve CWE usability

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2010-02-16 · CWE 1.8

updated Demonstrative_Examples

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2010-09-27 · CWE 1.10

updated Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2011-06-01 · CWE 1.13

updated Common_Consequences

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2014-06-23 · CWE 2.7

updated Demonstrative_Examples

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2015-12-07 · CWE 2.9

updated Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2018-03-27 · CWE 3.1

updated Description

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2019-09-19 · CWE 3.4

updated Applicable_Platforms, Demonstrative_Examples, Detection_Factors, Likelihood_of_Exploit, Observed_Examples, Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships, Time_of_Introduction

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2020-02-24 · CWE 4.0

updated Observed_Examples, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2020-06-25 · CWE 4.1

updated Observed_Examples

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2020-08-20 · CWE 4.2

updated Alternate_Terms, Demonstrative_Examples, Observed_Examples, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2020-12-10 · CWE 4.3

updated Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2021-03-15 · CWE 4.4

updated Demonstrative_Examples

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2021-07-20 · CWE 4.5

updated Demonstrative_Examples, Potential_Mitigations, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2022-06-28 · CWE 4.8

updated Observed_Examples, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2022-10-13 · CWE 4.9

updated Applicable_Platforms

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2023-01-31 · CWE 4.10

updated Alternate_Terms, Demonstrative_Examples, Description

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2023-04-27 · CWE 4.11

updated Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2023-06-29 · CWE 4.12

updated Mapping_Notes, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2024-02-29 · CWE 4.14

updated Demonstrative_Examples

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2024-07-16 · CWE 4.15

updated Alternate_Terms, Common_Consequences, Description, Diagram, Weakness_Ordinalities

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2024-11-19 · CWE 4.16

updated Observed_Examples, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2025-04-03 · CWE 4.17

updated Observed_Examples, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2025-09-09 · CWE 4.18

updated Affected_Resources, Functional_Areas, References

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2025-12-11 · CWE 4.19

updated Applicable_Platforms, Detection_Factors, References, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2026-04-30 · CWE 4.20

updated Mapping_Notes

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2026-10-28 · CWE 5.0

updated Dimensions, Observed_Examples, References, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

16871 vulnerabilities reference this CWE, most recent first.

GHSA-J2G2-H5P4-8QCH

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-08-30 15:30 – Updated: 2024-04-04 07:16
VLAI
Details

Tenda AC9 V3.0 V15.03.06.42_multi was discovered to contain a stack overflow via parameter wpapsk_crypto at url /goform/WifiExtraSet.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2023-41554"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-787"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2023-08-30T13:15:13Z",
    "severity": "CRITICAL"
  },
  "details": "Tenda AC9 V3.0 V15.03.06.42_multi was discovered to contain a stack overflow via parameter wpapsk_crypto at url /goform/WifiExtraSet.",
  "id": "GHSA-j2g2-h5p4-8qch",
  "modified": "2024-04-04T07:16:47Z",
  "published": "2023-08-30T15:30:19Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-41554"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/peris-navince/founded-0-days/blob/main/fromSetWirelessRepeat/1.md"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-J2GF-FHX6-5XRQ

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-08-21 21:30 – Updated: 2024-08-22 18:31
VLAI
Details

Heap buffer overflow in PDFium in Google Chrome prior to 128.0.6613.84 allowed a remote attacker to perform an out of bounds memory read via a crafted PDF file. (Chromium security severity: Medium)

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2024-7973"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-122",
      "CWE-787"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2024-08-21T21:15:09Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "Heap buffer overflow in PDFium in Google Chrome prior to 128.0.6613.84 allowed a remote attacker to perform an out of bounds memory read via a crafted PDF file. (Chromium security severity: Medium)",
  "id": "GHSA-j2gf-fhx6-5xrq",
  "modified": "2024-08-22T18:31:20Z",
  "published": "2024-08-21T21:30:47Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-7973"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2024/08/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_21.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://issues.chromium.org/issues/345518608"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-J2H2-2982-4345

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-05-31 21:31 – Updated: 2024-04-04 04:27
VLAI
Details

H3C Magic R300 version R300-2100MV100R004 was discovered to contain a stack overflow via the AddWlanMacList interface at /goform/aspForm.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2023-33643"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-787"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2023-05-31T21:15:10Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "H3C Magic R300 version R300-2100MV100R004 was discovered to contain a stack overflow via the AddWlanMacList interface at /goform/aspForm.",
  "id": "GHSA-j2h2-2982-4345",
  "modified": "2024-04-04T04:27:09Z",
  "published": "2023-05-31T21:31:11Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-33643"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://hackmd.io/%400dayResearch/S1N5bdsE2"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://hackmd.io/@0dayResearch/S1N5bdsE2"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-J2H5-WH6W-G585

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-03-12 00:00 – Updated: 2022-03-17 00:01
VLAI
Details

Adobe After Effects versions 22.2 (and earlier) and 18.4.4 (and earlier) are affected by an Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2022-24096"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-122",
      "CWE-787"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2022-03-11T18:15:00Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "Adobe After Effects versions 22.2 (and earlier) and 18.4.4 (and earlier) are affected by an Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user. Exploitation of this issue requires user interaction in that a victim must open a malicious file.",
  "id": "GHSA-j2h5-wh6w-g585",
  "modified": "2022-03-17T00:01:09Z",
  "published": "2022-03-12T00:00:29Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-24096"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/after_effects/apsb22-17.html"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-J2H7-PM9R-M9G8

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-10-14 19:00 – Updated: 2022-10-15 12:00
VLAI
Details

OTFCC commit 617837b was discovered to contain a heap buffer overflow via /release-x64/otfccdump+0x6b0d63.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2022-35045"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-787"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2022-10-14T12:15:00Z",
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "OTFCC commit 617837b was discovered to contain a heap buffer overflow via /release-x64/otfccdump+0x6b0d63.",
  "id": "GHSA-j2h7-pm9r-m9g8",
  "modified": "2022-10-15T12:00:55Z",
  "published": "2022-10-14T19:00:44Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-35045"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eIYb4VDyDnXLCjXKSoFQjkmoXyaCmr-m/view?usp=sharing"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/Cvjark/Poc/blob/main/otfcc/CVE-2022-35045.md"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-J2HQ-24XQ-XCJR

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-03-28 21:30 – Updated: 2025-11-04 21:30
VLAI
Details

This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Netatalk. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the ad_addcomment function. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a fixed-length stack-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-15876.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2022-0194"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-121",
      "CWE-787"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2023-03-28T19:15:00Z",
    "severity": "CRITICAL"
  },
  "details": "This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Netatalk. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the ad_addcomment function. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a fixed-length stack-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-15876.",
  "id": "GHSA-j2hq-24xq-xcjr",
  "modified": "2025-11-04T21:30:33Z",
  "published": "2023-03-28T21:30:20Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-0194"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00018.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://netatalk.sourceforge.io/3.1/ReleaseNotes3.1.13.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202311-02"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5503"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/709991"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-22-530"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-J2JF-89HQ-7G58

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-03-08 00:30 – Updated: 2023-03-11 03:30
VLAI
Details

Heap buffer overflow in UMA in Google Chrome prior to 111.0.5563.64 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2023-1220"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-787"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2023-03-07T22:15:00Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "Heap buffer overflow in UMA in Google Chrome prior to 111.0.5563.64 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer process to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)",
  "id": "GHSA-j2jf-89hq-7g58",
  "modified": "2023-03-11T03:30:17Z",
  "published": "2023-03-08T00:30:33Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-1220"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2023/03/stable-channel-update-for-desktop.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://crbug.com/1417185"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/171796/Chrome-base-SampleVectorBase-MoveSingleSampleToCounts-Heap-Buffer-Overflow.html"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-J2JW-2C2W-RPFH

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 17:18 – Updated: 2022-05-24 17:18
VLAI
Details

In Cherokee through 1.2.104, multiple memory corruption errors may be used by a remote attacker to destabilize the work of a server.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2019-20799"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-119",
      "CWE-787"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2020-05-18T00:15:00Z",
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "In Cherokee through 1.2.104, multiple memory corruption errors may be used by a remote attacker to destabilize the work of a server.",
  "id": "GHSA-j2jw-2c2w-rpfh",
  "modified": "2022-05-24T17:18:01Z",
  "published": "2022-05-24T17:18:01Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-20799"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/cherokee/webserver/issues/1221"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/cherokee/webserver/issues/1222"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/cherokee/webserver/issues/1225"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/cherokee/webserver/issues/1226"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://logicaltrust.net/blog/2019/11/cherokee.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202012-09"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-J2MP-WXPV-6JR8

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 17:30 – Updated: 2026-02-23 18:31
VLAI
Details

A memory corruption vulnerability exists when Windows Media Foundation improperly handles objects in memory, aka 'Media Foundation Memory Corruption Vulnerability'.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2020-16915"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-787"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2020-10-16T23:15:00Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "A memory corruption vulnerability exists when Windows Media Foundation improperly handles objects in memory, aka \u0027Media Foundation Memory Corruption Vulnerability\u0027.",
  "id": "GHSA-j2mp-wxpv-6jr8",
  "modified": "2026-02-23T18:31:48Z",
  "published": "2022-05-24T17:30:56Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-16915"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16915"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1257"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

GHSA-J2P7-2Q28-V52R

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-09-23 00:31 – Updated: 2026-09-23 00:31
VLAI
Details

IBM Financial Transaction Manager (FTM) for RedHat OpenShift could allow a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code due to a buffer overflow.

Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-18095"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-787"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2026-09-22T22:17:09Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "IBM Financial Transaction Manager (FTM) for RedHat OpenShift could allow a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code due to a buffer overflow.",
  "id": "GHSA-j2p7-2q28-v52r",
  "modified": "2026-09-23T00:31:14Z",
  "published": "2026-09-23T00:31:14Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-18095"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7288641"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

Mitigation MIT-3
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.
Mitigation MIT-4.1
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.
Mitigation MIT-10
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.
Mitigation MIT-9
Implementation
  • Consider adhering to the following rules when allocating and managing an application's memory:
  • Double check that the buffer is as large as specified.
  • When using functions that accept a number of bytes to copy, such as strncpy(), be aware that if the destination buffer size is equal to the source buffer size, it may not NULL-terminate the string.
  • Check buffer boundaries if accessing the buffer in a loop and make sure there is no danger of writing past the allocated space.
  • If necessary, truncate all input strings to a reasonable length before passing them to the copy and concatenation functions.
Mitigation MIT-11
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].
Mitigation MIT-12
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].
Mitigation MIT-13
Implementation

Replace unbounded copy functions with analogous functions that support length arguments, such as strcpy with strncpy. Create these if they are not available.

No CAPEC attack patterns related to this CWE.