...
Using the same class definitions as the noncompliant code example, this compliant solution modifies the definition of f() to require raw pointers to the object, removing the slicing problem:.
| Code Block | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
// Remainder of code unchanged...
void f(const Employee *e) {
if (e) {
std::cout << *e;
}
}
int main() {
Employee coder("Joe Smith");
Employee typist("Bill Jones");
Manager designer("Jane Doe", typist);
f(&coder);
f(&typist);
f(&designer);
}
|
This compliant solution also complies with EXP34-C. Do not dereference null pointers in the implementation of f(). With this definition, the the program correctly outputs :the following.
| Code Block |
|---|
Employee: Joe Smith Employee: Bill Jones Manager: Jane Doe Assistant: Employee: Bill Jones |
...
An improved compliant solution, which does not require guarding against null pointers within f(), uses references instead of pointers:.
| Code Block | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
// ... Remainder of code unchanged ...
void f(const Employee &e) {
std::cout << e;
}
int main() {
Employee coder("Joe Smith");
Employee typist("Bill Jones");
Manager designer("Jane Doe", typist);
f(coder);
f(typist);
f(designer);
} |
...
This compliant solution uses a vector of std::unique_ptr objects, which eliminates the slicing problem:.
| Code Block | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
#include <iostream>
#include <memory>
#include <string>
#include <vector>
void f(const std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Employee>> &v) {
for (const auto &e : v) {
std::cout << *e;
}
}
int main() {
std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Employee>> v;
v.emplace_back(new Employee("Joe Smith"));
v.emplace_back(new Employee("Bill Jones"));
v.emplace_back(new Manager("Jane Doe", *v.front()));
f(v);
} |
...
Slicing results in information loss, which could lead to abnormal program execution or denial-of-service attacks.
Rule | Severity | Likelihood |
|---|
Detectable | Repairable | Priority | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
OOP51-CPP | Low | Probable |
No | No |
P2 | L3 |
Automated Detection
Tool | Version | Checker | Description | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CodeSonar |
| LANG.CAST.OBJSLICE | Object Slicing | ||||||
| Helix QAC |
| C++3072 | |||||||
| Parasoft C/C++test |
3072, 3073
| CERT_CPP-OOP51-a | Do not slice derived objects | |||||||
| Polyspace Bug Finder |
| CERT C++: OOP51-CPP | Checks for object slicing (rule partially covered) | ||||||
| PVS-Studio |
| V1054 |
Related Vulnerabilities
Search for other vulnerabilities resulting from the violation of this rule on the CERT website.
Related Guidelines
| SEI CERT C++ Coding Standard | ERR61-CPP. Catch exceptions by lvalue reference |
| SEI CERT C Coding Standard |
Bibliography
| [Dewhurst |
| 2002] | Gotcha #38, "Slicing" |
| [ISO/IEC 14882-2014] | Subclause 12.8, "Copying and Moving Class Objects" |
| [Sutter |
| 2000] | Item 40, "Object Lifetimes—Part I" |
...
...