Mutexes are used to protect shared data structures being concurrently accessed. If a mutex is destroyed while a thread is blocked waiting for that mutex, critical sections and shared data are no longer protected.
The C Standard, 7.2628.4.1, paragraph 2 [ISO/IEC 9899:20112024], states
The
mtx_destroyfunction releases any resources used by the mutex pointed to bymtx. No threads can be blocked waiting for the mutex pointed to bymtx.
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Destroying a mutex while it is locked may result in invalid control flow and data corruption.
Rule | Severity | Likelihood | Detectable | RepairableRemediation Cost | Priority | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CON31-C | Medium | Probable | No | HighNo | P4 | L3 |
Automated Detection
Tool | Version | Checker | Description | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astrée |
| Supported, but no explicit checker | ||||||||||||
| CodeSonar |
| CONCURRENCY.LOCALARG | Local Variable Passed to Thread | |||||||||||
| Cppcheck Premium |
| premium-cert-con31-c | ||||||||||||
| Helix QAC |
| DF4961, DF4962 | ||||||||||||
| Parasoft C/C++test |
| CERT_C-CON31-a | Do not destroy another thread's mutex | |||||||||||
| Destruction CERT C: Rule CON31-C | Checks for destruction of locked mutex | Task tries to destroy a mutex in the locked state | (rule fully covered) |
Related Vulnerabilities
Search for vulnerabilities resulting from the violation of this rule on the CERT website.
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Bibliography
| [ISO/IEC 9899:20112024] | 7.2628.4.1, "The mtx_destroy Function" |
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