CWE-119 Memory Buffer Error

Coverage status: Background only, this CWE is in scope but has no rules in the SiteShadow rule registry. Taint and heuristic analyzers may flag related patterns; see the coverage report and known gaps for the authoritative list.

What this means

SiteShadow flagged a memory safety pattern where code may read/write outside the bounds of a buffer (an umbrella category covering many buffer issues).

Why it matters

Buffer errors can lead to crashes or code execution.

• Crashes and DoS from invalid memory access.
• Information disclosure via out-of-bounds reads.
• RCE in the worst cases, especially in native code.

Safer examples

1) Prefer memory-safe languages and APIs

When possible, use safe containers and bounds-checked access.

2) Validate lengths before copying/parsing

Enforce size limits on inputs before parsing or allocating.

3) Use fuzzing and sanitizers for native code

ASan/UBSan and fuzz tests catch many buffer bugs early.

How SiteShadow detects it (high level)

• Flags suspicious buffer operations and unsafe copy/parse patterns.
• Prioritizes cases where sizes come from untrusted input or complex arithmetic (see CWE-190).

References

• CWE-119: https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/119.html

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