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Some C standard library functions are not guaranteed to be reentrant with respect to threads. Functions such as strtok() and asctime() return a pointer to the result stored in function-allocated memory on a per-process basis. Other functions such as rand() store state information in function-allocated memory on a per-process basis. Multiple threads invoking the same function can cause concurrency problems, which often result in abnormal behavior and can cause more serious vulnerabilities, such as abnormal termination, denial-of-service attack, and data integrity violations.

According to the C Standard, the library functions listed in the following table may contain data races when invoked by multiple threads.

FunctionsRemediation
rand(), srand()MSC30-C. Do not use the rand() function for generating pseudorandom numbers
getenv(), getenv_s()ENV34-C. Do not store pointers returned by certain functions
strtok()strtok_s() in C11 Annex K
strtok_r() in POSIX
strerror()strerror_s() in C11 Annex K
strerror_r() in POSIX
asctime(), ctime(),
localtime(), gmtime()
asctime_s(), ctime_s(), localtime_s(), gmtime_s() in C11 Annex K
setlocale()Protect multithreaded access to locale-specific functions with a mutex
ATOMIC_VAR_INIT, atomic_init()Do not attempt to initialize an atomic variable from multiple threads
tmpnam()tmpnam_s() in C11 Annex K
tmpnam_r() in POSIX
mbrtoc16(), c16rtomb(),
mbrtoc32(), c32rtomb()
Do not call with a null mbstate_t * argument 

Section 2.9.1 of the Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX®), Base Specifications, Issue 7 [IEEE Std 1003.1:2013] extends the list of functions that are not required to be thread-safe.

Noncompliant Code Example

In this noncompliant code example, the function f() is called from within a multithreaded application but encounters an error while calling a system function. The strerror() function returns a human-readable error string given an error number. The C Standard, 7.24.6.2 [ISO/IEC 9899:2011], specifically states that strerror() is not required to avoid data races. An implementation could write the error string into a static array and return a pointer to it, and that array might be accessible and modifiable by other threads.

#include <errno.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
 
void f(FILE *fp) {
  fpos_t pos;
  errno = 0;

  if (0 != fgetpos(fp, &pos)) {
    char *errmsg = strerror(errno);
    printf("Could not get the file position: %s\n", errmsg);
  }
}

This code first sets errno to 0 to comply with ERR30-C. Set errno to zero before calling a library function known to set errno, and check errno only after the function returns a value indicating failure

Compliant Solution (Annex K, strerror_s()

This compliant solution uses the strerror_s() function from Annex K of the C Standard, which has the same functionality as strerror() but guarantees thread-safety:

#define __STDC_WANT_LIB_EXT1__ 1
#include <errno.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
 
enum { BUFFERSIZE = 64 };
void f(FILE *fp) {
  fpos_t pos;
  errno = 0;

  if (0 != fgetpos(fp, &pos)) {
    char errmsg[BUFFERSIZE];
    if (strerror_s(errmsg, BUFFERSIZE, errno) != 0) {
      /* Handle error */
    }
    printf("Could not get the file position: %s\n", errmsg);
  }
}

Because Annex K is optional, strerror_s() may not be available in all implementations. 

Compliant Solution (POSIX, strerror_r())

This compliant solution uses the POSIX strerror_r() function, which has the same functionality as strerror() but guarantees thread safety:

#include <errno.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

enum { BUFFERSIZE = 64 };
 
void f(FILE *fp) {
  fpos_t pos;
  errno = 0;

  if (0 != fgetpos(fp, &pos)) {
    char errmsg[BUFFERSIZE];
    if (strerror_r(errno, errmsg, BUFFERSIZE) != 0) {
      /* Handle error */
    }
    printf("Could not get the file position: %s\n", errmsg);
  }
}

Linux provides two versions of strerror_r(), known as the XSI-compliant version and the GNU-specific version. This compliant solution assumes the XSI-compliant version, which is the default when an application is compiled as required by POSIX (that is, by defining _POSIX_C_SOURCE or _XOPEN_SOURCE appropriately). The strerror_r() manual page lists versions that are available on a particular system.

Risk Assessment

Race conditions caused by multiple threads invoking the same library function can lead to abnormal termination of the application, data integrity violations, or a denial-of-service attack.

Rule

Severity

Likelihood

Remediation Cost

Priority

Level

CON33-C

Medium

Probable

High

P4

L3

Related Vulnerabilities

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

Automated Detection

Tool

Version

Checker

Description

Astrée
24.04

Supported, but no explicit checker
CodeSonar
8.1p0

BADFUNC.RANDOM.RAND
BADFUNC.TEMP.TMPNAM
BADFUNC.TTYNAME

Use of rand (includes check for uses of srand())
Use of tmpnam (includes check for uses of tmpnam_r())
Use of ttyname

Compass/ROSE



A module written in Compass/ROSE can detect violations of this rule

LDRA tool suite
 9.7.1
44 SPartially Implemented
Parasoft C/C++test
2023.1

CERT_C-CON33-a

Avoid using thread-unsafe functions

Polyspace Bug Finder

R2024a

Data race through standard library function callMultiple tasks make unprotected calls to thread-unsafe standard library function
PRQA QA-C++
4.4
5021

Related Guidelines

Key here (explains table format and definitions)

Taxonomy

Taxonomy item

Relationship

CERT C Secure Coding StandardERR30-C. Set errno to zero before calling a library function known to set errno, and check errno only after the function returns a value indicating failurePrior to 2018-01-12: CERT: Unspecified Relationship
CERT CCON00-CPP. Avoid assuming functions are thread safe unless otherwise specifiedPrior to 2018-01-12: CERT: Unspecified Relationship
CWE 2.11CWE-3302017-06-28: CERT: Partial overlap
CWE 2.11CWE-3772017-06-28: CERT: Partial overlap
CWE 2.11CWE-6762017-05-18: CERT: Rule subset of CWE

CERT-CWE Mapping Notes

Key here for mapping notes

CWE-330 and CON33-C

Independent( MSC30-C, MSC32-C, CON33-C)

Intersection( CWE-330, CON33-C) =


  • Use of rand() or srand() from multiple threads, introducing a race condition.


CWE-330 – CON33-C =


  • Use of rand() or srand() without introducing race conditions



  • Use of other dangerous functions


CON33-C – CWE-330 =


  • Use of other global functions (besides rand() and srand()) introducing race conditions


CWE-377 and CON33-C

Intersection( CWE-377, CON33-C) =


  • Use of tmpnam() from multiple threads, introducing a race condition.


CWE-377 – CON33-C =


  • Insecure usage of tmpnam() without introducing race conditions



  • Insecure usage of other functions for creating temporary files (see CERT recommendation FIO21-C for details)


CON33-C – CWE-377 =


  • Use of other global functions (besides tmpnam()) introducing race conditions


CWE-676 and CON33-C


  • Independent( ENV33-C, CON33-C, STR31-C, EXP33-C, MSC30-C, ERR34-C)



  • CON33-C lists standard C library functions that manipulate global data (e.g., locale()), that can be dangerous to use in a multithreaded context.



  • CWE-676 = Union( CON33-C, list) where list =



  • Invocation of the following functions without introducing a race condition:



  • rand(), srand(, getenv(), getenv_s(), strtok(), strerror(), asctime(), ctime(), localtime(), gmtime(), setlocale(), ATOMIC_VAR_INIT, atomic_init(), tmpnam(), mbrtoc16(), c16rtomb(), mbrtoc32(), c32rtomb()



  • Invocation of other dangerous functions




Bibliography

[IEEE Std 1003.1:2013]Section 2.9.1, "Thread Safety"
[ISO/IEC 9899:2011]

Subclause 7.24.6.2, "The strerror Function" 

[Open Group 1997b]Section 10.12, "Thread-Safe POSIX.1 and C-Language Functions"




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