Data Element Aggregating an Excessively Large Number of Non-Primitive Elements
This weakness occurs when a data structure, like a class or object, contains too many complex sub-elements (e.g., other objects or structs) instead of simple primitive types.
This design pattern can significantly degrade your application's performance, leading to slow data processing, high memory consumption, and inefficient operations. If an attacker can trigger or manipulate this bloated data element, they may exploit the performance lag to cause a denial-of-service (DoS) or exhaust system resources. While what constitutes 'excessively large' depends on your specific context, the CISQ (Consortium for IT Software Quality) standard suggests a practical threshold of no more than 5 complex sub-elements. Reviewing and refactoring data structures that exceed this guideline can improve maintainability, performance, and resilience against resource-based attacks.
Impact: Reduce Performance
- OMG ASCPEM