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Weakness (CWE)

CWE-763: Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference

Base Incomplete

The product attempts to return a memory resource to the system, but it calls the wrong release function or calls the appropriate release function incorrectly.

How to prevent it (4 mitigations)

  1. Implementation

    Only call matching memory management functions. Do not mix and match routines. For example, when you allocate a buffer with malloc(), dispose of the original pointer with free().

  2. Implementation

    When programming in C++, consider using smart pointers provided by the boost library to help correctly and consistently manage memory.

  3. Architecture and Design

    Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.

    For example, glibc in Linux provides protection against free of invalid pointers.

  4. Architecture and Design

    Use a language that provides abstractions for memory allocation and deallocation.

Source: MITRE CWE-763

All Critical High Medium Low Exploited only Public exploit

2 results · Clear filters · Feed

  • High 7.8
    CVE-2023-34312 Public exploit

    In Tencent QQ through 9.7.8.29039 and TIM through 3.4.7.22084, QQProtect.exe and QQProtectEngine.dll do not validate po…

  • High 7.1
    CVE-2021-21401 Public exploit

    Invalid free() call in Nanopb

    Nanopb is a small code-size Protocol Buffers implementation in ansi C. In Nanopb before versions 0.3.9.8 and 0.4.5, decoding a specifically formed message can cause invalid `free()` or `realloc()` calls if the message type contains an `oneof` field, and the `…

    nanopb nanopb nanopb nanopb Debian Ubuntu PyPI