Division and remainder operations performed on integers are susceptible to divide-by-zero errors. Consequently, the divisor in a division or remainder operation on integer types must be checked for zero prior to the operation. Division and remainder operations performed on floating-point numbers are not subject to this rule.

Noncompliant Code Example (Division)

The result of the / operator is the quotient from the division of the first arithmetic operand by the second arithmetic operand. Division operations are susceptible to divide-by-zero errors. Overflow can also occur during two's-complement signed integer division when the dividend is equal to the minimum (negative) value for the signed integer type and the divisor is equal to −1 (see NUM00-J. Detect or prevent integer overflow for more information). This noncompliant code example can result in a divide-by-zero error during the division of the signed operands num1 and num2:

long num1, num2, result;

/* Initialize num1 and num2 */

result = num1 / num2;

Compliant Solution (Division)

This compliant solution tests the divisor to guarantee there is no possibility of divide-by-zero errors:

long num1, num2, result;

/* Initialize num1 and num2 */

if (num2 == 0) {
  // Handle error
} else {
  result = num1 / num2;
}

Noncompliant Code Example (Remainder)

The % operator provides the remainder when two operands of integer type are divided. This noncompliant code example can result in a divide-by-zero error during the remainder operation on the signed operands num1 and num2:

long num1, num2, result;

/* Initialize num1 and num2 */

result = num1 % num2;

Compliant Solution (Remainder)

This compliant solution tests the divisor to guarantee there is no possibility of a divide-by-zero error:

long num1, num2, result;

/* Initialize num1 and num2 */

if (num2 == 0) {
  // Handle error
} else {
  result = num1 % num2;
}

Risk Assessment

A division or remainder by zero can result in abnormal program termination and denial-of-service (DoS).

Rule

Severity

Likelihood

Remediation Cost

Priority

Level

NUM02-J

Low

Likely

Medium

P6

L2

Automated Detection

Tool
Version
Checker
Description
Coverity7.5DIVIDE_BY_ZEROImplemented
Parasoft Jtest
2024.1
CERT.NUM02.ZEROAvoid division by zero
PVS-Studio

7.34

V6020
SonarQube

9.9

S3518Zero should not be a possible denominator

Related Guidelines

Bibliography

[ISO/IEC 9899:1999]

Subclause 6.5.5, "Multiplicative Operators"

[Seacord 05]

Chapter 5, "Integers"

[Seacord 2015]

[Warren 02]

Chapter 2, "Basics"



6 Comments

    • Code samples won't compile because of the signed keywords.
    • Handle error condition comments need to be replaced with proper exceptions
    • sl1 and sl2 are bad variable names as l can be confused with 1.
    1. Fixed. For 2nd point, we have not been particularly consistent about how to handle errors...is there some normative text all code should rely on? My suggestion would be "// Handle Error" (except in cases where more specific directions are called for.)

  1. I don't believe there is modulo operator in Java.  There is a remainder operator.

    http://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se7/html/jls-15.html#jls-15.17.3 

  2. This seems to be covered in SonarQube too by S3518.

  3. We could specify the difference between integers and floatting point numbers.

    • integer (int, long) : divide-by-zero result in a RuntimeException (witch result in abnormal program termination)
    • floatting point number (float, double) : result in an Infinite number (result in an unspecified behavior if unspecified, not necessarily abnormal termination)
    1. I clarified that this rule only applies to integers.