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Do not use deprecated or obsolescent functions when more secure equivalent functions are available.
Deprecated functions are defined by the C99 standard and Technical CorrigendaC Standard. Obsolescent functions are defined by this guidelinerecommendation.

Deprecated Functions

The gets() function was deprecated by Technical Corrigendum 3 to C99 and eliminated from C11.  The Annex K gets_s() function is a recommended alternative to gets().

Obsolescent Functions

The following functions are obsolescent and should be avoided in favor of either the portable equivalent or, if available, the more secure alternatives defined in \[[ISO/IEC TR 24731-1|AA. Bibliography#ISO/IEC TR 24731-1-2007]\] Extensions to the C Library, --- Part I: Bounds-checking interfaces, and \[[ISO/IEC TR 24731-2|AA. Bibliography#ISO/IEC TR 24731-2-2010]\] Extensions to the C Library, --- Part II: Dynamic Allocation Functions. (Several of the "Portable Equivalent" entries are specified in the POSIX standard.)

Functions in the first column of the following table are hereby defined to be obsolescent functions. To remediate invocations of obsolescent functions, an application might use inline coding that, in all respects, conforms to this guideline, or an alternative library that, in all respects, conforms to this guideline, or alternative non-obsolescent functions.

The atof(), atoi(), atol(), and atoll() functions are obsolescent because the strtod(), strtof(), strtol(), strtold(), strtoll(), strtoul(), and strtoull() functions can emulate their usage and have more robust error handling capabilities. See INT05-C. Do not use input functions to convert character data if they cannot handle all possible inputs.

The fopen() and freopen() functions are obsolescent because the fopen_s() and freopen_s() functions can emulate their usage and improve security by protecting the file from unauthorized access by setting its file protection and opening the file with exclusive access [ISO/IEC WG14 N1173].

The setbuf() function is obsolescent because setbuf() does not return a value and can be emulated using setvbuf(). See ERR07-C. Prefer functions that support error checking over equivalent functions that don't.

The rewind() function is obsolescent because rewind() does not return a value and can be emulated using fseek(). See ERR07-C. Prefer functions that support error checking over equivalent functions that don't.

The asctime() and ctime() functions are obsolescent because they use non-reentrant static buffers and can be emulated using asctime_s() and ctime_s().

Unchecked Obsolescent Functions

If you are using platforms that support Annex K, then functions in the first column of the following table are hereby defined to be obsolescent functions, with functions in the second column being the recommended alternatives from Annex K.

For information on the tmpfile() and tmpfile_s() functions, see FIO21-C. Do not create temporary files in shared directories.
For information on the memset() and memset_s() functions, see MSC06-C. Beware of compiler optimizations.

To remediate invocations of obsolescent functions, an application might use any of the following recommended functions from ISO/IEC TR 24731-2, Extensions to the C Library—Part II: Dynamic Allocation Functions [ISO/IEC TR 24731-2]:

Noncompliant Code Example

In this noncompliant code example, the obsolescent functions strcat() and  and strcpy() are  are used.:

#include <string.h>
#include <stdio.h>
 
enum { BUFSIZE BUFFERSIZE=256 32 };

void complain(const char *msg) {

  static const char prefix[] = "Error: ";
  static const char suffix[] = "\n";
  char buf[BUFFERSIZEBUFSIZE];

  strcpy(buf, prefix);
  strcat(buf, msg);
  strcat(buf, suffix);
  fputs(buf, stderr);
}

Compliant Solution

In this compliant solution, strcat() and strcpy() are replaced by strcat_s() and strcpy_s().:

#define __STDC_WANT_LIB_EXT1__
#include <string.h>
#include <stdio.h>
 
enum { BUFFERSIZE = 256 };

void complain(const char *msg) {
  static const char prefix[] = "Error: ";
  static const char suffix[] = "\n";
  char buf[BUFFERSIZE];

  strcpy_s(buf, BUFFERSIZE, prefix);
  strcat_s(buf, BUFFERSIZE, msg);
  strcat_s(buf, BUFFERSIZE, suffix);
  fputs(buf, stderr);
}

Risk Assessment

The deprecated and obsolescent functions enumerated in this guideline are commonly associated with software vulnerabilities.

Automated Detection

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Unknown.

Related Vulnerabilities

Tool	Version	Checker	Description
Astrée	Include Page Astrée_V Astrée_V	stdlib-use-ato stdlib-macro-ato stdlib-use-atoll stdlib-macro-atoll	Partially checked
Axivion Bauhaus Suite	Include Page Axivion Bauhaus Suite_V Axivion Bauhaus Suite_V	CertC-MSC24	Fully implemented
CodeSonar	Include Page CodeSonar_V CodeSonar_V	BADFUNC.* PARSE.DE (customization)	A number of CodeSonar's "Use of *" checks are for deprecated/obsolescent functions Deprecated Entity CodeSonar also provides a mechanism for users to create custom checks for uses of specified functions
ECLAIR	Include Page ECLAIR_V ECLAIR_V	CC2.MSC34	Fully implemented
Helix QAC	Include Page Helix QAC_V Helix QAC_V	C5039 C5040 C5041 C5042 C5043
LDRA tool suite	Include Page LDRA_V LDRA_V	44 S	Fully implemented
Parasoft C/C++test	Include Page Parasoft_V Parasoft_V	CERT_C-MSC24-a CERT_C-MSC24-b CERT_C-MSC24-c CERT_C-MSC24-d	The 'atof', 'atoi', 'atol' and 'atoll' functions from the 'stdlib.h' or 'cstdlib' library should not be used The 'getenv()' function from the 'stdlib.h' or 'cstdlib' library shall not be used Avoid using unsafe string functions which may cause buffer overflows Don't use unsafe C functions that do write to range-unchecked buffers
PC-lint Plus	Include Page PC-lint Plus_V PC-lint Plus_V	586	Fully supported
Polyspace Bug Finder	Include Page Polyspace Bug Finder_V Polyspace Bug Finder_V	CERT C: Rec. MSC24-C	Checks for use of obsolete standard function (rec. fully covered)
PVS-Studio	Include Page PVS-Studio_V PVS-Studio_V	V513, V2001, V2002
RuleChecker	Include Page RuleChecker_V RuleChecker_V	stdlib-use-ato stdlib-macro-ato stdlib-use-atoll stdlib-macro-atoll	Partially checked
Security Reviewer - Static Reviewer	Include Page Security Reviewer - Static Reviewer_V Security Reviewer - Static Reviewer_V	CuEV CvariableScope CWE395TEST_2_CPP CWE561P25 CwPSPPE CzDC deallocret integerOverflowCond invalidContainer invalidFunctionArg leakUnsafeArgAlloc memleak memleakOnRealloc noCopyConstructor noOperatorEq nullPointerRedundantCheck	Fully implemented

Related Vulnerabilities

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

Related Guidelines

ISO/IEC 9945:2003

ISO/IEC 9899:1999 Section 7.21, "String handling <string.h>"

Bibliography

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ISO/IEC PDTR 24731-2

MISRA Rule 20.4

Bibliography

\[[Burch 2006|AA. Bibliography#Burch06]\]
\[[CERT 2006c|AA. Bibliography#CERT 06c]\]
\[[Seacord 2005a|AA. Bibliography#Seacord 05a]\] Chapter 2, "Strings"

Image Removed      49. Miscellaneous (MSC)      MSC35-C. Do not include any executable statements inside a switch statement before the first case label