CWE-690 Compuesto Borrador

Unchecked Return Value to NULL Pointer Dereference

This vulnerability occurs when a program calls a function that can return a NULL pointer to signal failure, but the code does not check for this error condition before using the returned value,…

Definición

What is CWE-690?

This vulnerability occurs when a program calls a function that can return a NULL pointer to signal failure, but the code does not check for this error condition before using the returned value, leading to a crash or unexpected behavior from dereferencing the NULL pointer.

Many functions in C and similar languages use a NULL pointer return value to indicate that an operation failed, such as when memory allocation fails or a required resource isn't found. If a developer assumes the call was always successful and uses the return value directly—for example, by trying to read or write to that memory location—the program will attempt to dereference NULL, typically causing a segmentation fault and a crash. This is a specific and common case of a broader class of unchecked return value errors. While not all functions signal errors with NULL (some use special integers or status codes), the pattern of failing to validate a function's output before proceeding is a frequent source of instability. Properly handling these potential NULL returns by adding checks is a fundamental practice for writing robust and secure software that can gracefully manage unexpected states.

Impacto en el mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-690

CVE-2008-1052

Large Content-Length value leads to NULL pointer dereference when malloc fails.
CVE-2006-6227

Large message length field leads to NULL pointer dereference when malloc fails.
CVE-2006-2555

Parsing routine encounters NULL dereference when input is missing a colon separator.
CVE-2003-1054

URI parsing API sets argument to NULL when a parsing failure occurs, such as when the Referer header is missing a hostname, leading to NULL dereference.
CVE-2008-5183

chain: unchecked return value can lead to NULL dereference

Cómo lo explotan los atacantes

Ruta del atacante paso a paso

1
The code below makes a call to the getUserName() function but doesn't check the return value before dereferencing (which may cause a NullPointerException).
2
This example takes an IP address from a user, verifies that it is well formed and then looks up the hostname and copies it into a buffer.
3
If an attacker provides an address that appears to be well-formed, but the address does not resolve to a hostname, then the call to gethostbyaddr() will return NULL. Since the code does not check the return value from gethostbyaddr (CWE-252), a NULL pointer dereference (CWE-476) would then occur in the call to strcpy().
4
Note that this code is also vulnerable to a buffer overflow (CWE-119).

Ejemplo de código vulnerable

Vulnerable Java

The code below makes a call to the getUserName() function but doesn't check the return value before dereferencing (which may cause a NullPointerException).

Vulnerable Java

String username = getUserName();
  if (username.equals(ADMIN_USER)) {
  	...
  }

Ejemplo de código seguro

Secure pseudo

Seguro pseudo

// Validate, sanitize, or use a safe API before reaching the sink.
function handleRequest(input) {
  const safe = validateAndEscape(input);
  return executeWithGuards(safe);
}

What changed: the unsafe sink is replaced (or the input is validated/escaped) so the same payload no longer triggers the weakness.

Lista de prevención

How to prevent CWE-690

Architecture Use safe-by-default frameworks and APIs that prevent the unsafe pattern from being expressible.
Implementation Validate input at trust boundaries; use allowlists, not denylists.
Implementation Apply the principle of least privilege to credentials, file paths, and runtime permissions.
Testing Cover this weakness in CI: SAST rules + targeted unit tests for the data flow.
Operation Monitor logs for the runtime signals listed in the next section.

Señales de detección

How to detect CWE-690

Black Box

This typically occurs in rarely-triggered error conditions, reducing the chances of detection during black box testing.

White Box

Code analysis can require knowledge of API behaviors for library functions that might return NULL, reducing the chances of detection when unknown libraries are used.

CWE-690

Don't catalog this weakness. Prove it's reachable.

Plexicus turns CWE catalogs into evidence: every CWE-pattern is matched against your real code graph, reach is proven on a sandbox clone, and verified findings ship as reviewed PRs.

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Preguntas frecuentes

Frequently asked questions

¿Qué es CWE-690?

¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-690?

MITRE no ha publicado una calificación de probabilidad de explotación para esta debilidad. Trátala como de impacto medio hasta que tu modelo de amenazas demuestre lo contrario.

¿Qué lenguajes o plataformas se ven afectados por CWE-690?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: C, C++.

¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-690?

Use safe-by-default frameworks, validate untrusted input at trust boundaries, and apply the principle of least privilege. Cover the data-flow signature in CI with SAST.

¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-690?

El motor SAST de Plexicus detecta la firma de flujo de datos para CWE-690 en cada commit. Cuando hay coincidencia, nuestro agente Codex Remedium abre un PR de corrección con el código corregido, las pruebas y un resumen de una línea para el revisor.

¿Dónde puedo aprender más sobre CWE-690?

MITRE publica la definición canónica en https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/690.html. También puedes consultar la documentación de OWASP y NIST para guías relacionadas.

Debilidades relacionadas

Weaknesses related to CWE-690

CWE-252 Padre