While this weakness might be caught by the compiler in some languages, it can occur more frequently in cases in which the called function accepts variable numbers of arguments, such as format strings in C. It also can occur in languages or environments that do not require that functions always be called with the correct number of arguments, such as Perl.
CWE-685 Variante Rascunho
Function Call With Incorrect Number of Arguments
This weakness occurs when a program calls a function, method, or subroutine but provides the wrong number of arguments—either too many or too few. This mismatch can cause the program to behave…
Definição
What is CWE-685?
This weakness occurs when a program calls a function, method, or subroutine but provides the wrong number of arguments—either too many or too few. This mismatch can cause the program to behave unpredictably, access incorrect memory, or crash, creating a security vulnerability.
When a function is called with an incorrect argument count, the underlying system mechanics break down. The calling code and the function have mismatched expectations about how data is arranged on the stack or in registers. This can lead to the function reading invalid values, interpreting data incorrectly (like treating a string as a pointer), or corrupting adjacent memory. The immediate result is often undefined behavior, which can manifest as crashes, data corruption, or unexpected program flow.
From a security perspective, this flaw is a gateway for more severe exploits. An attacker might manipulate this mismatch to leak sensitive data from memory, bypass security checks, or execute arbitrary code. It's commonly seen in languages that don't enforce strict type checking at compile-time (like C or C++), in cases of incorrect function pointer usage, or when interfacing with external libraries. Developers must ensure function signatures are always correctly matched, especially when using dynamic linking or callback mechanisms.
Impacto no mundo real
Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-685
Ainda não há referências CVE públicas associadas a este CWE no catálogo da MITRE.
Como os atacantes a exploram
Trajeto do atacante passo a passo
- 1
Identificar um caminho de código que trata input não confiável sem validação.
- 2
Criar um payload que explora o comportamento inseguro — injeção, traversal, overflow ou abuso de lógica.
- 3
Entregar o payload através de um pedido normal e observar a reação da aplicação.
- 4
Iterar até que a resposta exponha dados, execute código do atacante ou escale privilégios.
Exemplo de código vulnerável
Vulnerable pseudo
A MITRE não publicou um exemplo de código para este CWE. O padrão abaixo é ilustrativo — consulte os Recursos para referências canónicas.
// Example pattern — see MITRE for the canonical references.
function handleRequest(input) {
// Untrusted input flows directly into the sensitive sink.
return executeUnsafe(input);
} Exemplo de código seguro
Secure 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 verificação de prevenção
How to prevent CWE-685
- Testing Because this function call often produces incorrect behavior it will usually be detected during testing or normal operation of the product. During testing exercise all possible control paths will typically expose this weakness except in rare cases when the incorrect function call accidentally produces the correct results or if the provided argument type is very similar to the expected argument type.
Sinais de deteção
How to detect CWE-685
CWE-685
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.
Perguntas frequentes O que é o CWE-685?
Qual a gravidade do CWE-685?
Que linguagens ou plataformas são afetadas pelo CWE-685?
Como posso prevenir o CWE-685?
Como é que o Plexicus deteta e corrige o CWE-685?
Onde posso saber mais sobre o CWE-685?
Frequently asked questions
O que é o CWE-685?
This weakness occurs when a program calls a function, method, or subroutine but provides the wrong number of arguments—either too many or too few. This mismatch can cause the program to behave unpredictably, access incorrect memory, or crash, creating a security vulnerability.
Qual a gravidade do CWE-685?
A MITRE não publicou uma classificação de probabilidade de exploração para esta fraqueza. Trate-a como impacto médio até o seu modelo de ameaças provar o contrário.
Que linguagens ou plataformas são afetadas pelo CWE-685?
MITRE lists the following affected platforms: C, Perl.
Como posso prevenir o CWE-685?
Because this function call often produces incorrect behavior it will usually be detected during testing or normal operation of the product. During testing exercise all possible control paths will typically expose this weakness except in rare cases when the incorrect function call accidentally produces the correct results or if the provided argument type is very similar to the expected argument type.
Como é que o Plexicus deteta e corrige o CWE-685?
O motor SAST do Plexicus correlaciona a assinatura de fluxo de dados do CWE-685 em cada commit. Quando é encontrada uma correspondência, o nosso agente Codex Remedium abre um PR de correção com o código corrigido, testes e um resumo de uma linha para o revisor.
Onde posso saber mais sobre o CWE-685?
A MITRE publica a definição canónica em https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/685.html. Pode também consultar a documentação da OWASP e do NIST para orientações adjacentes.
Fraquezas relacionadas
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