The C++ Standard, [except.spec], paragraph 8 [ISO/IEC 14882-2014], states the following:

A function is said to allow an exception of type E if the constant-expression in its noexcept-specification evaluates to false or its dynamic-exception-specification contains a type T for which a handler of type T would be a match (15.3) for an exception of type E.

If a function throws an exception other than one allowed by its exception-specification, it can lead to an implementation-defined termination of the program ([except.spec], paragraph 9).

If a function declared with a dynamic-exception-specification throws an exception of a type that would not match the exception-specification, the function std::unexpected() is called. The behavior of this function can be overridden but, by default, causes an exception of std::bad_exception to be thrown. Unless std::bad_exception is listed in the exception-specification, the function std::terminate() will be called.

Similarly, if a function declared with a noexcept-specification throws an exception of a type that would cause the noexcept-specification to evaluate to false, the function std::terminate() will be called.

Calling std::terminate() leads to implementation-defined termination of the program. To prevent abnormal termination of the program, any function that declares an exception-specification should restrict itself, as well as any functions it calls, to throwing only allowed exceptions.

Noncompliant Code Example

In this noncompliant code example, a function is declared as nonthrowing, but it is possible for std::vector::resize() to throw an exception when the requested memory cannot be allocated.

#include <cstddef>
#include <vector>
 
void f(std::vector<int> &v, size_t s) noexcept(true) {
  v.resize(s); // May throw 
}

Compliant Solution

In this compliant solution, the function's noexcept-specification is removed, signifying that the function allows all exceptions.

#include <cstddef>
#include <vector>

void f(std::vector<int> &v, size_t s) {
  v.resize(s); // May throw, but that is okay
}

Noncompliant Code Example

In this noncompliant code example, the second function claims to throw only Exception1, but it may also throw Exception2.

#include <exception>
 
class Exception1 : public std::exception {};
class Exception2 : public std::exception {};

void foo() {
  throw Exception2{}; // Okay because foo() promises nothing about exceptions
}

void bar() throw (Exception1) {
  foo();    // Bad because foo() can throw Exception2
}

Compliant Solution

This compliant solution catches the exceptions thrown by foo().

#include <exception>
 
class Exception1 : public std::exception {};
class Exception2 : public std::exception {};

void foo() {
  throw Exception2{}; // Okay because foo() promises nothing about exceptions
}

void bar() throw (Exception1) {
  try {
    foo();
  } catch (Exception2 e) {
    // Handle error without rethrowing it
  }
}

Compliant Solution

This compliant solution declares a dynamic exception-specification for bar(), which covers all of the exceptions that can be thrown from it.

#include <exception>
 
class Exception1 : public std::exception {};
class Exception2 : public std::exception {};

void foo() {
  throw Exception2{}; // Okay because foo() promises nothing about exceptions
}

void bar() throw (Exception1, Exception2) {
  foo();
}

Implementation Details

Some vendors provide language extensions for specifying whether or not a function throws. For instance, Microsoft Visual Studio provides __declspec(nothrow)), and Clang supports __attribute__((nothrow)). Currently, the vendors do not document the behavior of specifying a nonthrowing function using these extensions. Throwing from a function declared with one of these language extensions is presumed to be undefined behavior.

Risk Assessment

Throwing unexpected exceptions disrupts control flow and can cause premature termination and denial of service.

Automated Detection

Tool	Version	Checker	Description
Axivion Bauhaus Suite		CertC++-ERR55
LDRA tool suite		56 D	Partially implemented
Parasoft C/C++Test		CERT_CPP-ERR55-a	Where a function's declaration includes an exception-specification, the function shall only be capable of throwing exceptions of the indicated type(s)
PRQA QA-C++		4035, 4036, 4632

Related Vulnerabilities

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

Related Guidelines

Bibliography