...
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:
...
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 | Remediation CostRepairable | 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 |
| CERT_C-MEM31-a | Ensure resources are freed | |||||||||||||
| Parasoft Insure++ | Runtime analysis | |||||||||||||||
| PC-lint Plus |
| 429 | Fully supported | |||||||||||||
| Polyspace Bug Finder |
| CERT C: Rule MEM31-C | Checks for memory leak (rule fully covered) | |||||||||||||
| PRQA QAPVS-CStudio |
| 2706, 2707, 2708 | PRQA QA-C++ |
| V773 | |||||||||||
| Security Reviewer - Static Reviewer |
| CPP_17 CPP_18 CPP_22 CPP_23 CPP_24 CPP_25 CPP_26 CPP_27 | Fully implemented| Include Page | | cplusplus:PRQA QA-C++_V | cplusplus:PRQA QA-C++_V | 2706, 2707, 2708, 3337, 3338||||||||||
| SonarQube C/C++ Plugin |
| S3584 | ||||||||||||||
| Splint |
| |||||||||||||||
| TrustInSoft Analyzer |
| malloc | Exhaustively verified. |
Related Vulnerabilities
Search for vulnerabilities resulting from the violation of this rule on the CERT website.
...
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" |
...