CWE-787
Weakness Allowed-with-ReviewOut-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
Modes of introduction
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
Suggested mappings to ISA/IEC 62443.
Provided diagram to improve CWE usability
updated Demonstrative_Examples
updated Relationships
updated Common_Consequences
updated Demonstrative_Examples
updated Relationships
updated Description
updated Applicable_Platforms, Demonstrative_Examples, Detection_Factors, Likelihood_of_Exploit, Observed_Examples, Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships, Time_of_Introduction
updated Observed_Examples, Relationships
updated Observed_Examples
updated Alternate_Terms, Demonstrative_Examples, Observed_Examples, Relationships
updated Relationships
updated Demonstrative_Examples
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Potential_Mitigations, Relationships
updated Observed_Examples, Relationships
updated Applicable_Platforms
updated Alternate_Terms, Demonstrative_Examples, Description
updated Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
updated Mapping_Notes, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
updated Demonstrative_Examples
updated Alternate_Terms, Common_Consequences, Description, Diagram, Weakness_Ordinalities
updated Observed_Examples, Relationships
updated Observed_Examples, Relationships
updated Affected_Resources, Functional_Areas, References
updated Applicable_Platforms, Detection_Factors, References, Relationships
updated Mapping_Notes
updated Dimensions, Observed_Examples, References, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
16908 vulnerabilities reference this CWE, most recent first.
GHSA-MW69-V2CV-29WW
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 16:45 – Updated: 2024-04-04 00:39nanosvg library nanosvg after commit c1f6e209c16b18b46aa9f45d7e619acf42c29726 is affected by: Buffer Overflow. The impact is: Memory corruption leading to at least DoS. More severe impact vectors need more investigation. The component is: it's part of a svg processing library. function nsvg__parseColorRGB in src/nanosvg.h / line 1227. The attack vector is: It depends library usage. If input is passed from the network, then network connectivity is enough. Most likely an attack will require opening a specially crafted .svg file.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2019-1010258"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-119",
"CWE-787"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2019-05-15T18:29:00Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "nanosvg library nanosvg after commit c1f6e209c16b18b46aa9f45d7e619acf42c29726 is affected by: Buffer Overflow. The impact is: Memory corruption leading to at least DoS. More severe impact vectors need more investigation. The component is: it\u0027s part of a svg processing library. function nsvg__parseColorRGB in src/nanosvg.h / line 1227. The attack vector is: It depends library usage. If input is passed from the network, then network connectivity is enough. Most likely an attack will require opening a specially crafted .svg file.",
"id": "GHSA-mw69-v2cv-29ww",
"modified": "2024-04-04T00:39:59Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T16:45:45Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-1010258"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/memononen/nanosvg/issues/136"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://0day.work/cve-2019-1000032-memory-corruption-in-nanosvg"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/memononen/nanosvg"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-MW76-72HW-4357
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2024-03-05 18:31 – Updated: 2025-05-07 18:30VMware ESXi contains an out-of-bounds write vulnerability. A malicious actor with privileges within the VMX process may trigger an out-of-bounds write leading to an escape of the sandbox.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2024-22254"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-787"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2024-03-05T18:15:48Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "VMware ESXi contains an out-of-bounds write vulnerability.\u00a0A malicious actor with privileges within the VMX process may trigger an out-of-bounds write leading to an escape of the sandbox.",
"id": "GHSA-mw76-72hw-4357",
"modified": "2025-05-07T18:30:36Z",
"published": "2024-03-05T18:31:14Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-22254"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2024-0006.html"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-MW76-WQR4-VVFP
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-03-11 00:02 – Updated: 2022-03-19 00:01In preloader (usb), there is a possible out of bounds write due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege, for an attacker who has physical access to the device, with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is needed for exploitation. Patch ID: ALPS06160806; Issue ID: ALPS06160485.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2022-20058"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-787"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-03-10T17:45:00Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "In preloader (usb), there is a possible out of bounds write due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege, for an attacker who has physical access to the device, with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is needed for exploitation. Patch ID: ALPS06160806; Issue ID: ALPS06160485.",
"id": "GHSA-mw76-wqr4-vvfp",
"modified": "2022-03-19T00:01:35Z",
"published": "2022-03-11T00:02:20Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-20058"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://corp.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/March-2022"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-MW7G-H5M4-MRXH
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-10-30 12:31 – Updated: 2026-10-30 12:31SQLite before 3.54.0 built with FTS5 contains a heap buffer overflow in fts5MergeRowidLists() that undersizes the output buffer when merging detail=none prefix doclists. Attackers who can populate a detail=none FTS5 table with negative rowids and run a prefix MATCH query can write past the allocation, corrupting heap memory and crashing the process.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2026-119373"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-787"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2026-10-30T12:16:36Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "SQLite before 3.54.0 built with FTS5 contains a heap buffer overflow in fts5MergeRowidLists() that undersizes the output buffer when merging detail=none prefix doclists. Attackers who can populate a detail=none FTS5 table with negative rowids and run a prefix MATCH query can write past the allocation, corrupting heap memory and crashing the process.",
"id": "GHSA-mw7g-h5m4-mrxh",
"modified": "2026-10-30T12:31:16Z",
"published": "2026-10-30T12:31:16Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-119373"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/sqlite/sqlite/commit/e1c9934f9f11a499029abb020ea715a08970da80"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://abraxaslabs.tech/research/sqlite-fts5-rowidmerge"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/sqlite/sqlite"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/sqlite/sqlite/blob/version-3.53.4/ext/fts5/fts5_index.c#L6107"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://sqlite.org/bugs/info/2026-08-04T08:49:27Z"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://sqlite.org/releaselog/3_54_0.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://sqlite.org/src/info/a7f8c92f62"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/sqlite-before-3.54.0-fts5-heap-buffer-overflow-via-fts5mergerowidlists"
}
],
"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"
},
{
"score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X",
"type": "CVSS_V4"
}
]
}
GHSA-MW7J-65F4-C54H
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-11-02 12:00 – Updated: 2022-11-03 19:00A memory corruption issue existed in the processing of ICC profiles. This issue was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13. Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to arbitrary code execution.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2022-26730"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-787"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2022-11-01T20:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "A memory corruption issue existed in the processing of ICC profiles. This issue was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13. Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to arbitrary code execution.",
"id": "GHSA-mw7j-65f4-c54h",
"modified": "2022-11-03T19:00:29Z",
"published": "2022-11-02T12:00:40Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-26730"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213488"
}
],
"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-MW7R-3G6W-85QG
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2021-03-29 20:57 – Updated: 2024-06-03 18:39A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the Chakra scripting engine handles objects in memory in Microsoft Edge, aka 'Chakra Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2019-1139, CVE-2019-1140, CVE-2019-1141, CVE-2019-1195, CVE-2019-1196, CVE-2019-1197.
{
"affected": [
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "NuGet",
"name": "Microsoft.ChakraCore"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "0"
},
{
"fixed": "1.11.12"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
}
],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2019-1131"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-787"
],
"github_reviewed": true,
"github_reviewed_at": "2021-03-22T22:10:01Z",
"nvd_published_at": "2019-08-14T21:15:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the Chakra scripting engine handles objects in memory in Microsoft Edge, aka \u0027Chakra Scripting Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability\u0027. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2019-1139, CVE-2019-1140, CVE-2019-1141, CVE-2019-1195, CVE-2019-1196, CVE-2019-1197.",
"id": "GHSA-mw7r-3g6w-85qg",
"modified": "2024-06-03T18:39:44Z",
"published": "2021-03-29T20:57:46Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-1131"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/chakra-core/ChakraCore/commit/242c59ea40c0428e1ced7366bf2c28bfbdda1999"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/chakra-core/ChakraCore/commit/6b1250b6ffea7006226dd937e52cf5b353fcfc15"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-1131"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
],
"summary": "Out-of-bounds write in Microsoft.ChakraCore"
}
GHSA-MW8F-FCPV-J495
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2023-07-05 21:30 – Updated: 2026-10-15 00:30Linux Kernel nftables Out-Of-Bounds Read/Write Vulnerability; nft_byteorder poorly handled vm register contents when CAP_NET_ADMIN is in any user or network namespace
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2023-35001"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-787"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2023-07-05T19:15:10Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "Linux Kernel nftables Out-Of-Bounds Read/Write Vulnerability; nft_byteorder poorly handled vm register contents when CAP_NET_ADMIN is in any user or network namespace",
"id": "GHSA-mw8f-fcpv-j495",
"modified": "2026-10-15T00:30:39Z",
"published": "2023-07-05T21:30:17Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-35001"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-769027.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-794697.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-806742.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-831302.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/08/msg00001.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/01/msg00004.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/RGZC5XOANA75OJ4XARBBXYSLDKUIJI5E"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/UPHI46ROSSLVAV4R5LJWJYU747JGOS6D"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://lore.kernel.org/netfilter-devel/20230705121515.747251-1-cascardo@canonical.com/T"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20230824-0007"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5453"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/05/3"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/173757/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0096-1.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174577/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0097-1.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/05/3"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-MW97-4R24-9GGW
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-24 17:08 – Updated: 2022-05-24 17:08Use after free in speech in Google Chrome prior to 79.0.3945.130 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2020-6378"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-416",
"CWE-787"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2020-02-11T15:15:00Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Use after free in speech in Google Chrome prior to 79.0.3945.130 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page.",
"id": "GHSA-mw97-4r24-9ggw",
"modified": "2022-05-24T17:08:37Z",
"published": "2022-05-24T17:08:37Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-6378"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2020/01/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_16.html"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://crbug.com/1018677"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/6IOHSO6BUKC6I66J5PZOMAGFVJ66ZS57"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202003-08"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
GHSA-MW99-V56M-J965
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-03-04 18:31 – Updated: 2026-03-04 18:31Multiple Cisco products are affected by a vulnerability in the Snort 3 detection engine that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the Snort 3 Detection Engine to restart, resulting in an interruption of packet inspection.
This vulnerability is due to incomplete error checking when parsing the Multicast DNS fields of the HTTP header. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP packets through an established connection to be parsed by Snort 3. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a DoS condition when the Snort 3 Detection Engine unexpectedly restarts.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2026-20067"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-787"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2026-03-04T18:16:21Z",
"severity": "MODERATE"
},
"details": "Multiple Cisco products are affected by a vulnerability in the Snort 3 detection engine that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the Snort 3 Detection Engine to restart, resulting in an interruption of packet inspection.\u0026nbsp;\n\nThis vulnerability is due to incomplete error checking when parsing the Multicast DNS fields of the HTTP header. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP packets through an established connection to be parsed by Snort 3. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a DoS condition when the Snort 3 Detection Engine unexpectedly restarts.",
"id": "GHSA-mw99-v56m-j965",
"modified": "2026-03-04T18:31:55Z",
"published": "2026-03-04T18:31:55Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-20067"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-snort3-multi-dos-XFWkWSwz"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:L",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
GHSA-MW9G-9Q6H-RWWQ
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2022-05-13 01:20 – Updated: 2022-05-13 01:20A remote code execution vulnerability exists when Microsoft Edge improperly accesses objects in memory, aka "Microsoft Edge Memory Corruption Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft Edge, ChakraCore. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8509.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2018-8473"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-787"
],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2018-10-10T13:29:00Z",
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "A remote code execution vulnerability exists when Microsoft Edge improperly accesses objects in memory, aka \"Microsoft Edge Memory Corruption Vulnerability.\" This affects Microsoft Edge, ChakraCore. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2018-8509.",
"id": "GHSA-mw9g-9q6h-rwwq",
"modified": "2022-05-13T01:20:55Z",
"published": "2022-05-13T01:20:55Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8473"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8473"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105459"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041825"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
]
}
Mitigation MIT-3
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
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
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
- 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
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
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
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.