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MEM31-C-EX1: Allocated memory does not need to be freed if it is assigned to a pointer with static storage duration whose lifetime is the entire execution of a programincludes program termination. The following code example illustrates a pointer that stores the return value from malloc() in a static variable:
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Failing to free memory can result in the exhaustion of system memory resources, which can lead to a denial-of-service attack.
Rule | Severity | Likelihood | Detectable | RepairableRemediation Cost | Priority | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MEM31-C | Medium | Probable | No | MediumNo | P8P4 | L2L3 |
Automated Detection
Tool | Version | Checker | Description | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astrée |
| Supported, but no explicit checker | ||||||||||||||
| Axivion Bauhaus Suite |
| CertC-MEM31 | Can detect dynamically allocated resources that are not freed | |||||||||||||
| CodeSonar |
| ALLOC.LEAK | Leak | |||||||||||||
| Compass/ROSE | ||||||||||||||||
| RESOURCE_LEAK ALLOC_FREE_MISMATCH | Finds resource leaks from variables that go out of scope while owning a resource | ||||||||||||||
| Cppcheck |
| memleak leakReturnValNotUsed leakUnsafeArgAlloc memleakOnRealloc | ||||||||||||||
| Cppcheck Premium |
| memleak leakReturnValNotUsed leakUnsafeArgAlloc memleakOnRealloc | ||||||||||||||
| Helix QAC |
| DF2706, DF2707, DF2708 C++3337, C++3338 | leakReturnValNotUsed | Doesn't use return value of memory allocation function | ||||||||||||
| Klocwork |
| MLKCL.FFM. | MIGHTASSIGN | MLKCL.FFM. | MUSTCOPY | MLKCL. | RETSHALLOW. | MUSTASSIGN | MLK.RETCL.SHALLOW.COPY FMM.MIGHT FMM.MUST | |||||||
| LDRA tool suite |
| 50 D | Partially implemented | |||||||||||||
| Parasoft C/C++test |
| BDCERT_C- | RESMEM31- | LEAKImplementeda | Ensure resources are freed | |||||||||||
| Parasoft Insure++ | Detects leaks at runtimeRuntime analysis | |||||||||||||||
| PC-lint Plus |
| 429 | Fully supported | |||||||||||||
| Polyspace Bug Finder | R2016a | Memory leak | Memory allocated dynamically not freed |
| CERT C: Rule MEM31-C | Checks for memory leak (rule fully covered) | ||||||||||
| PVS-Studio |
| V773 | PRQA QA-C | 9.1 | 1771 | PRQA QA-C++ | 4.2 | 3337, 3338 | ||||||||
| SonarQube C/C++ Plugin |
| S3584 | ||||||||||||||
| Splint |
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| TrustInSoft Analyzer |
| malloc | Exhaustively verified. |
Related Vulnerabilities
Search for vulnerabilities resulting from the violation of this rule on the CERT website.
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Intersection( FIO42-C, MEM31-C) = Ø
CWE-404 = CWE-459 = CWE-771 = CWE-772
CWE-404 = Union( FIO42-C, MEM31-C list) where list =
- Failure to free resources besides files or memory chunks, such as mutexes)
Bibliography
| [ISO/IEC 9899:20112024] | Subclause 7.2224.3, "Memory Management Functions" |
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