CWE-1235: Incorrect Use of Autoboxing and Unboxing for Performance Critical Operations

Définition

What is CWE-1235?

This weakness occurs when a program relies on automatic boxing and unboxing of primitive types within performance-sensitive code sections, causing unnecessary computational overhead and potential resource strain.

Languages like Java and C# provide autoboxing (converting a primitive like `int` to an object like `Integer`) and unboxing (the reverse) to simplify code by handling conversions automatically. While convenient for general use, these operations secretly create new objects and add processing steps that degrade execution speed, especially inside tight loops or high-frequency operations. Using boxed primitives within generic collections or performance-critical areas—such as scientific computing, real-time processing, or low-latency systems—can lead to excessive memory allocation, increased garbage collection, and even resource exhaustion. This practice is best reserved only for bridging the gap between primitive APIs and object-based libraries, not for core computational logic where efficiency is paramount.

Impact réel

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1235

Aucune référence CVE publique n'est liée à ce CWE dans le catalogue MITRE pour le moment.

Comment les attaquants l'exploitent

Parcours de l'attaquant étape par étape

1
Java has a boxed primitive for each primitive type. A long can be represented with the boxed primitive Long. Issues arise where boxed primitives are used when not strictly necessary.
2
In the above loop, we see that the count variable is declared as a boxed primitive. This causes autoboxing on the line that increments. This causes execution to be magnitudes less performant (time and possibly space) than if the "long" primitive was used to declare the count variable, which can impact availability of a resource.
3
This code uses primitive long which fixes the issue.

Exemple de code vulnérable

Vulnerable Java

Java has a boxed primitive for each primitive type. A long can be represented with the boxed primitive Long. Issues arise where boxed primitives are used when not strictly necessary.

Vulnérable Java

Long count = 0L; 
   for (long i = 0; i < Integer.MAX_VALUE; i++) { 
  	 count += i; 
   }

Exemple de code sécurisé

Secure Java

This code uses primitive long which fixes the issue.

Sécurisé Java

long count = 0L; 
   for (long i = 0; i < Integer.MAX_VALUE; i++) { 
  	 count += i; 
   }

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

Liste de contrôle de prévention

How to prevent CWE-1235

Implementation Use of boxed primitives should be limited to certain situations such as when calling methods with typed parameters. Examine the use of boxed primitives prior to use. Use SparseArrays or ArrayMap instead of HashMap to avoid performance overhead.

Signaux de détection

How to detect CWE-1235

SAST High

Exécuter une analyse statique (SAST) sur le code source à la recherche du motif non sécurisé dans le flux de données.

DAST Moderate

Exécuter des tests de sécurité applicative dynamique (DAST) contre le point de terminaison en ligne.

Runtime Moderate

Surveiller les journaux runtime pour détecter des traces d'exception inhabituelles, des entrées malformées ou des tentatives de contournement d'autorisation.

Code review Moderate

Revue de code : signaler tout nouveau code qui traite les entrées de cette surface sans utiliser les helpers du framework validés.

CWE-1235

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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Questions fréquentes

Frequently asked questions

Qu'est-ce que CWE-1235 ?

This weakness occurs when a program relies on automatic boxing and unboxing of primitive types within performance-sensitive code sections, causing unnecessary computational overhead and potential resource strain.

Quelle est la gravité de CWE-1235 ?

MITRE n'a pas publié de note de probabilité d'exploitation pour cette faiblesse. Traitez-la comme un impact moyen jusqu'à ce que votre modèle de menace prouve le contraire.

Quels langages ou plateformes sont affectés par CWE-1235 ?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Java, C#, Not OS-Specific, Not Architecture-Specific, Not Technology-Specific.

Comment puis-je prévenir CWE-1235 ?

Use of boxed primitives should be limited to certain situations such as when calling methods with typed parameters. Examine the use of boxed primitives prior to use. Use SparseArrays or ArrayMap instead of HashMap to avoid performance overhead.

Comment Plexicus détecte et corrige CWE-1235 ?

Le moteur SAST de Plexicus reconnaît la signature de flux de données de CWE-1235 à chaque commit. Lorsqu'une correspondance est trouvée, notre agent Codex Remedium ouvre une PR de correction avec le code corrigé, les tests et un résumé d'une ligne pour le relecteur.

Où puis-je en savoir plus sur CWE-1235 ?

MITRE publie la définition canonique à https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1235.html. Vous pouvez également consulter la documentation OWASP et NIST pour des conseils adjacents.

Faiblesses associées

Weaknesses related to CWE-1235

CWE-400 Parent

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Réserver un Pentest

Incorrect Use of Autoboxing and Unboxing for Performance Critical Operations

What is CWE-1235?

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1235

Parcours de l'attaquant étape par étape

Vulnerable Java

Secure Java

How to prevent CWE-1235

How to detect CWE-1235

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

Frequently asked questions

Weaknesses related to CWE-1235

Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

Improper Write Handling in Limited-write Non-Volatile Memories

Asymmetric Resource Consumption (Amplification)

Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling

Missing Reference to Active Allocated Resource

Logging of Excessive Data

Improper Restriction of Power Consumption

Further reading

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Sample evidence handover

Server-Side Request Forgery in `webhooks/receiver`