Do not use the assignment operator in the contexts listed in the following table because doing so typically indicates programmer error and can result in unexpected behavior.

OperatorContext 
ifControlling expression
whileControlling expression
do ... whileControlling expression
forSecond operand
?:First operand
?:Second or third operands, where the ternary expression is used in any of these contexts
&& Either operand 
|| either operand 
,

Second operand, when the comma expression is used in any of these contexts



Performing assignment statements in other contexts do not violate this rule. However, they may violate other rules, such as EXP30-C. Do not depend on the order of evaluation for side effects.


Noncompliant Code Example

In this noncompliant code example, an assignment expression is the outermost expression in an if statement:

if (a = b) {
  /* ... */
}

Although the intent of the code may be to assign b to a and test the value of the result for equality to 0, it is frequently a case of the programmer mistakenly using the assignment operator = instead of the equals operator ==. Consequently, many compilers will warn about this condition, making this coding error detectable by adhering to MSC00-C. Compile cleanly at high warning levels.

Compliant Solution (Unintentional Assignment)

When the assignment of b to a is not intended, the conditional block is now executed when a is equal to b:

if (a == b) {
  /* ... */
}

Compliant Solution (Intentional Assignment)

When the assignment is intended, this compliant solution explicitly uses inequality as the outermost expression while performing the assignment in the inner expression:

if ((a = b) != 0) {
  /* ... */
}

It is less desirable in general, depending on what was intended, because it mixes the assignment in the condition, but it is clear that the programmer intended the assignment to occur.

Noncompliant Code Example

In this noncompliant code example, the expression x = y is used as the controlling expression of the while statement:

 do { /* ... */ } while (foo(), x = y);

Compliant Solution (Unintentional Assignment)

When the assignment of y to x is not intended, the conditional block should be executed only when x is equal to y, as in this compliant solution:

do { /* ... */ } while (foo(), x == y); 

Compliant Solution (Intentional Assignment)

When the assignment is intended, this compliant solution can be used:

do { /* ... */ } while (foo(), (x = y) != 0);

Compliant Solution (for statement)

The same result can be obtained using the for statement, which is specifically designed to evaluate an expression on each iteration of the loop, just before performing the test in its controlling expression. Remember that its controlling expression is the second operand, where the assignment occurs in its third operand:

 for (; x; foo(), x = y) { /* ... */ }

Noncompliant Code Example

In this noncompliant example, the expression p = q is used as the controlling expression of the while statement:

 do { /* ... */ } while (x = y, p = q);

Compliant Solution

In this compliant solution, the expression x = y is not used as the controlling expression of the while statement:

do { /* ... */ } while (x = y, p == q); 

Noncompliant Code Example

This noncompliant code example has a typo that results in an assignment rather than a comparison.

while (ch = '\t' || ch == ' ' || ch == '\n') {
  /* ... */
}

Many compilers will warn about this condition. This coding error would typically be eliminated by adherence to MSC00-C. Compile cleanly at high warning levels. Although this code compiles, it will cause unexpected behavior to an unsuspecting programmer. If the intent was to verify a string such as a password, user name, or group user ID, the code may produce significant vulnerabilities and require significant debugging.

Compliant Solution (RHS Variable)

When comparisons are made between a variable and a literal or const-qualified variable, placing the variable on the right of the comparison operation can prevent a spurious assignment.

In this code example, the literals are placed on the left-hand side of each comparison. If the programmer were to inadvertently use an assignment operator, the statement would assign ch to '\t', which is invalid and produces a diagnostic message.

while ('\t' = ch || ' ' == ch || '\n' == ch) {
  /* ... */
}

Due to the diagnostic, the typo will be easily spotted and fixed.

while ('\t' == ch || ' ' == ch || '\n' == ch) {
  /* ... */
}

As a result, any mistaken use of the assignment operator that could otherwise create a vulnerability for operations such as string verification will result in a compiler diagnostic regardless of compiler, warning level, or implementation.

Exceptions

EXP45-C-EX1: Assignment can be used where the result of the assignment is itself an operand to a comparison expression or relational expression. In this compliant example, the expression x = y  is itself an operand to a comparison operation:

if ((x = y) != 0) { /* ... */ } 

EXP45-C-EX2: Assignment can be used where the expression consists of a single primary expression. The following code is compliant because the expression  x = y is a single primary expression:

if ((x = y)) { /* ... */ } 

The following controlling expression is noncompliant because && is not a comparison or relational operator and the entire expression is not primary:

if ((v = w) && flag) { /* ... */ } 

When the assignment of v to w is not intended, the following controlling expression can be used to execute the conditional block when v is equal to w:

if ((v == w) && flag) { /* ... */ }; 

When the assignment is intended, the following controlling expression can be used:

if (((v = w) != 0) && flag) { /* ... */ }; 

EXP45-C-EX3: Assignment can be used in a function argument or array index. In this compliant solution, the expression x = y is used in a function argument:


if (foo(x = y)) { /* ... */ } 


Risk Assessment

Errors of omission can result in unintended program flow.

Recommendation

Severity

Likelihood

Remediation Cost

Priority

Level

EXP45-C

Low

Likely

Medium

P6

L2

Automated Detection

Tool

Version

Checker

Description

Astrée
24.04
assignment-conditionalFully checked
Axivion Bauhaus Suite

7.2.0

CertC-EXP45
Clang
3.9
-WparenthesesCan detect some instances of this rule, but does not detect all
CodeSonar
8.1p0
LANG.STRUCT.CONDASSIG
LANG.STRUCT.SE.COND
LANG.STRUCT.USEASSIGN
Assignment in conditional
Condition contains side effects
Assignment result in expression
Compass/ROSE



Could detect violations of this recommendation by identifying any assignment expression as the top-level expression in an if or while statement

ECLAIR

1.2

CC2.EXP18
CC2.EXP21

Fully implemented

GCC
4.3.5


Can detect violations of this recommendation when the -Wall flag is used

Helix QAC

2024.2

C3314, C3326, C3344, C3416

C++4071, C++4074


Klocwork
2024.2

ASSIGCOND.CALL
ASSIGCOND.GEN
MISRA.ASSIGN.COND


LDRA tool suite
9.7.1

114 S, 132 S

Enhanced Enforcement
Parasoft C/C++test
2023.1

CERT_C-EXP45-b
CERT_C-EXP45-d

Assignment operators shall not be used in conditions without brackets
Assignment operators shall not be used in expressions that yield a Boolean value

PC-lint Plus

1.4

720

Partially supported: reports Boolean test of unparenthesized assignment

Polyspace Bug Finder

R2024a

CERT C: Rule EXP45-CChecks for invalid use of = (assignment) operator (rule fully covered)
PVS-Studio

7.33

V559, V633, V699
RuleChecker

24.04

assignment-conditionalFully checked
SonarQube C/C++ Plugin
3.11
AssignmentInSubExpression

Related Vulnerabilities

Search for vulnerabilities resulting from the violation of this rule on the CERT website.

Related Guidelines

Key here (explains table format and definitions)

Taxonomy

Taxonomy item

Relationship

CERT CEXP19-CPP. Do not perform assignments in conditional expressionsPrior to 2018-01-12: CERT: Unspecified Relationship
CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for JavaEXP51-J. Do not perform assignments in conditional expressionsPrior to 2018-01-12: CERT: Unspecified Relationship
ISO/IEC TR 24772:2013Likely Incorrect Expression [KOA]Prior to 2018-01-12: CERT: Unspecified Relationship
ISO/IEC TS 17961No assignment in conditional expressions [boolasgn]Prior to 2018-01-12: CERT: Unspecified Relationship
CWE 2.11CWE-480, Use of Incorrect Operator2017-07-05: CERT: Rule subset of CWE
CWE 2.11CWE-4812017-07-05: CERT: Rule subset of CWE

CERT-CWE Mapping Notes

Key here for mapping notes

CWE-480 and EXP45-C

Intersection( EXP45-C, EXP46-C) = Ø

CWE-480 = Union( EXP45-C, list) where list =

  • Usage of incorrect operator besides s/=/==/

CWE-569 and EXP45-C

CWE-480 = Subset( CWE-569)

Bibliography

[Dutta 03]"Best Practices for Programming in C"
[Hatton 1995]Section 2.7.2, "Errors of Omission and Addition"



15 Comments

  1. The link to the C++ Secure Coding Standard equivalent is dead. I think this recommendation applies in C++ as well with the exception that C++ should allow for cases where a variable is declared in a conditional statement:

    void f() {
      if (const char* const path = getenv("PATH")) {
        // use path
      }
    }
    
    1. The C++ analogue to this rule never existed; that's why the link was dead (smile) I have created the appropriate C++ rule (it is EXP19-CPP), and included your exception.

      1. Thanks!

        Btw., I changed the wording here a bit to align it with the terminology used by the standard since I believe we want to apply the rule to all selection statements (i.e., if, switch, while, do, and for).

        If my assumption is correct I think we should rename the rule to "Do not perform assignments in selection statements."

        1. That seems right, so I went ahead and changed the title.

          We also want to make sure these guidelines are written for developers and not for analyzer vendors.

  2. The related for Java is a rec.

    Why it is a rule here ?

    1. Mainly because the Java analogue is much more limited in scope (you can only mistake = and == with boolean operands in Java).

  3. Regarding  MISRA 2012 (13.2, 13.3 and 13.4) , i would enlarge this rule with assignement in sub-expression.


    The risk here, is not the unintended program flow but would be undefined behavior.

    It may also be dependent of the evaluation order of the expression.


    What do you think about that ?

    1. Conflating = with == usually does not produce undefined behavior. The few cases where it does are addressed in other CERT rules. Therefore this rule correctly focuses on unexpected control flow, rather than undefined behavior.

      I would suggest that, in the right circumstances, unexpected control flow can be as dangerous as undefined behavior, or even more dangerous. See the noncompliant code in EXP16-C. Do not compare function pointers to constant values for a real-world example.


  4. I was not clear (wink)

    I did'nt write about the risk of assignments in selection statements, i totaly agree with this actual rule here.


    In addition, assignements in sub-expressions (not in selection statements) could produce undefined behavior.


    MISRA 2012, in Rule 13.4 give few examples like :

    a[x]=a[x=y];

    or

    a[b+=c]=a[b]


    We could also imagine cases where we use le result of an assignement has argument of functions

    I wonder if some cases could produce vulnerabilities resulting of side effects.

    1. As I mentioned above, undefined behavior is well covered by other CERT rules. The code examples you cite violate EXP30-C. Do not depend on the order of evaluation for side effects.

      I added a reference to EXP30-C to this rule.

  5. IMHO a good addition as an example to the EXP45-C-EX1 exception would be the idiomatic...

     while ((c = fgetc(stream)) != EOF)

    (or its getc variant).

  6. The last three examples (while/ch) should probably use || instead of &&.

  7. I was wondering why example above "for (; x; foo(), x = y) { /* ... */ }" is considered as a violation as assignment is on the third operand? 

    1. You're right, that code example does not violate the rule, as the assignment is on the *third* operand of the for statement, not the second. I changed it to a compliant solution.