CWE-758 Class Incomplete

Reliance on Undefined, Unspecified, or Implementation-Defined Behavior

This weakness occurs when software depends on specific behaviors of an API, data structure, or system component that are not formally guaranteed by its specification. The code assumes these…

Definition

What is CWE-758?

This weakness occurs when software depends on specific behaviors of an API, data structure, or system component that are not formally guaranteed by its specification. The code assumes these behaviors will always work a certain way, but they might change or fail under different conditions.
Relying on undefined or platform-specific behavior creates fragile code that can break unexpectedly. For example, a function might return results in a particular order on your development machine, but a different compiler or operating system version could alter that order, causing logic errors or crashes. This often surfaces during porting to a new environment or during complex interactions between components. To avoid this, developers should strictly use documented, standardized behaviors and avoid assumptions about internal implementation details that aren't part of the official contract.
Auswirkungen in der Praxis

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-758

  • Change in C compiler behavior causes resultant buffer overflows in programs that depend on behaviors that were undefined in the C standard.

Wie Angreifer es ausnutzen

Angreiferpfad Schritt für Schritt

  1. 1

    This code assumes a particular function will always be found at a particular address. It assigns a pointer to that address and calls the function.

  2. 2

    The same function may not always be found at the same memory address. This could lead to a crash, or an attacker may alter the memory at the expected address, leading to arbitrary code execution.

  3. 3

    The following function returns a stack address.

Verwundbares Codebeispiel

Vulnerable C

This code assumes a particular function will always be found at a particular address. It assigns a pointer to that address and calls the function.

Verwundbar C
int (*pt2Function) (float, char, char)=0x08040000;
  int result2 = (*pt2Function) (12, 'a', 'b');
```
// Here we can inject code to execute.*
Sicheres Codebeispiel

Secure pseudo

Sicher 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.
Präventions-Checkliste

How to prevent CWE-758

  • 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.
Erkennungssignale

How to detect CWE-758

Fuzzing High

Fuzz testing (fuzzing) is a powerful technique for generating large numbers of diverse inputs - either randomly or algorithmically - and dynamically invoking the code with those inputs. Even with random inputs, it is often capable of generating unexpected results such as crashes, memory corruption, or resource consumption. Fuzzing effectively produces repeatable test cases that clearly indicate bugs, which helps developers to diagnose the issues.

Plexicus Auto-Fix

Plexicus erkennt CWE-758 automatisch und öffnet in unter 60 Sekunden einen Fix-PR.

Codex Remedium scannt jeden Commit, identifiziert genau diese Schwachstelle und liefert einen reviewer-ready Pull Request mit dem Patch. Keine Tickets. Keine Hand-offs.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Frequently asked questions

Was ist CWE-758?

This weakness occurs when software depends on specific behaviors of an API, data structure, or system component that are not formally guaranteed by its specification. The code assumes these behaviors will always work a certain way, but they might change or fail under different conditions.

Wie gravierend ist CWE-758?

MITRE hat für diese Schwachstelle keine Exploit-Wahrscheinlichkeit veröffentlicht. Behandle sie als mittlere Auswirkung, bis dein Threat Model anderes belegt.

Welche Sprachen oder Plattformen sind von CWE-758 betroffen?

MITRE hat für diese CWE keine betroffenen Plattformen spezifiziert — sie kann in den meisten Anwendungs-Stacks auftreten.

Wie kann ich CWE-758 verhindern?

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.

Wie erkennt und behebt Plexicus CWE-758?

Die SAST-Engine von Plexicus erkennt die Datenfluss-Signatur von CWE-758 bei jedem Commit. Bei einem Treffer öffnet unser Codex-Remedium-Agent einen Fix-PR mit korrigiertem Code, Tests und einer einzeiligen Zusammenfassung für den Reviewer.

Wo erfahre ich mehr über CWE-758?

MITRE veröffentlicht die kanonische Definition unter https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/758.html. Für ergänzende Hinweise kannst du auch die OWASP- und NIST-Dokumentation heranziehen.

Verwandte Schwachstellen

Weaknesses related to CWE-758

CWE-710 Parent

Improper Adherence to Coding Standards

This weakness occurs when developers don't consistently follow established coding standards and best practices, which can introduce…

CWE-1041 Sibling

Use of Redundant Code

This weakness occurs when a codebase contains identical or nearly identical logic duplicated across multiple functions, methods, or…

CWE-1044 Sibling

Architecture with Number of Horizontal Layers Outside of Expected Range

This occurs when a software system is built with either too many or too few distinct architectural layers, falling outside a recommended…

CWE-1048 Sibling

Invokable Control Element with Large Number of Outward Calls

This weakness occurs when a single function, method, or callable code block makes an excessively high number of calls to other objects or…

CWE-1059 Sibling

Insufficient Technical Documentation

This weakness occurs when a software or hardware product lacks comprehensive technical documentation. Missing or incomplete details about…

CWE-1061 Sibling

Insufficient Encapsulation

This weakness occurs when a software component exposes too much of its internal workings, such as data structures or implementation logic.…

CWE-1065 Sibling

Runtime Resource Management Control Element in a Component Built to Run on Application Servers

This weakness occurs when an application built to run on a managed application server bypasses the server's high-level APIs and instead…

CWE-1066 Sibling

Missing Serialization Control Element

This weakness occurs when a class or data structure is marked as serializable but lacks the required control methods to properly handle…

CWE-1068 Sibling

Inconsistency Between Implementation and Documented Design

This weakness occurs when the actual code implementation deviates from the intended design described in its official documentation,…

Bereit, wenn du es bist

Schluss mit dem Bezahlen pro Entwickler.
Schließ den Kreislauf.

Plexicus ist die KI-native ASPM, die scannt, filtert, fixt, pentestet und erklärt — autonom. Unbegrenzte Entwickler, unbegrenzte Repos, Fair-Use-KI-Aktionen. Echter kostenloser Tarif, €269/mo jährlich, wenn du bereit bist.