Opening a file that is already open has implementation-defined behavior, according to the C Standard, 7.21.3, paragraph 8 [ISO/IEC 9899:2011]:

Functions that open additional (nontemporary) files require a file name, which is a string. The rules for composing valid file names are implementation-defined. Whether the same file can be simultaneously open multiple times is also implementation-defined.

Some implementations do not allow multiple copies of the same file to be open at the same time. Consequently, portable code cannot depend on what will happen if this rule is violated. Even on implementations that do not outright fail to open an already-opened file, a TOCTOU (time-of-check, time-of-use) race condition exists in which the second open could operate on a different file from the first due to the file being moved or deleted (see FIO45-C. Avoid TOCTOU race conditions while accessing files for more details on TOCTOU race conditions).

Noncompliant Code Example

This noncompliant code example logs the program's state at runtime:

#include <stdio.h>
 
void do_stuff(void) {
  FILE *logfile = fopen("log", "a");
  if (logfile == NULL) {
    /* Handle error */
  }

  /* Write logs pertaining to do_stuff() */
  fprintf(logfile, "do_stuff\n");
}

int main(void) {
  FILE *logfile = fopen("log", "a");
  if (logfile == NULL) {
    /* Handle error */
  }

  /* Write logs pertaining to main() */
  fprintf(logfile, "main\n");

  do_stuff();
 
  if (fclose(logfile) == EOF) {
    /* Handle error */
  }
  return 0;
}

Because the file log is opened twice (once in main() and again in do_stuff()), this program has implementation-defined behavior.

Compliant Solution

In this compliant solution, a reference to the file pointer is passed as an argument to functions that need to perform operations on that file. This reference eliminates the need to open the same file multiple times.

#include <stdio.h>
 
void do_stuff(FILE *logfile) {
  /* Write logs pertaining to do_stuff() */
  fprintf(logfile, "do_stuff\n");
}

int main(void) {
  FILE *logfile = fopen("log", "a");
  if (logfile == NULL) {
    /* Handle error */
  }

  /* Write logs pertaining to main() */
  fprintf(logfile, "main\n");

  do_stuff(logfile);
 
  if (fclose(logfile) == EOF) {
    /* Handle error */
  }
  return 0;
}

Risk Assessment

Simultaneously opening a file multiple times can result in unexpected errors and nonportable behavior.

Rule

Severity

Likelihood

Remediation Cost

Priority

Level

FIO24-C

Medium

Probable

High

P4

L3

Automated Detection

Tool

Version

Checker

Description

CodeSonar
8.1p0

IO.RACE
(customization)

IO.BRAW

File system race condition
Users can implement a custom check that triggers a warning if a file-opening function is called on a file that is already open

File Open for Both Read and Write

LDRA tool suite
9.7.1

75 D

Partially implemented

Parasoft C/C++test

2023.1

CERT_C-FIO24-aAvoid race conditions while accessing files

Polyspace Bug Finder

R2024a

CERT C: Rec. FIO24-CChecks for situations where previously opened resources are reopened (rec. fully covered)

Related Guidelines

 Bibliography

[ISO/IEC 9899:2011Subclause 7.21.3, "Files"




5 Comments

  1. This isn't a problem on POSIX compliant systems (read Unix et al), so it must be a potential problem on Windows...Or was there somewhere else that you were thinking of?

    Of course, on Unix, the "a" for append is critical for appending coherently (without one file pointer/descriptor trampling over data previously written by the other).  However, there are database-related systems (I'm thinking C-ISAM; you might thinjk of the DBM packages) where this is all properly controlled.

    1. This rule is talking about the fact that the behavior is implementation-defined according to the C standard.  Therefore, portable code cannot depend on what will happen if this is attempted.

  2. This is one of the very few (only?) rules we have about implementation-defined behavior.

  3. This is FIO24-C but risk assement is written in FIO31-C. Need to correct.