CWE-1235 Base Incompleto

Incorrect Use of Autoboxing and Unboxing for Performance Critical Operations

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…

Definición

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.
Impacto en el mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1235

Todavía no hay CVEs públicos enlazados a esta CWE en el catálogo de MITRE.

Cómo lo explotan los atacantes

Ruta del atacante paso a paso

  1. 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. 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. 3

    This code uses primitive long which fixes the issue.

Ejemplo de código vulnerable

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.

Vulnerable Java 
Long count = 0L; 
   for (long i = 0; i < Integer.MAX_VALUE; i++) { 
  	 count += i; 
   }
Ejemplo de código seguro

Secure Java

This code uses primitive long which fixes the issue.

Seguro 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.
Lista de prevención

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.
Señales de detección

How to detect CWE-1235

SAST High

Ejecuta análisis estático (SAST) sobre el código buscando el patrón inseguro en el flujo de datos.

DAST Moderate

Ejecuta pruebas dinámicas de seguridad de aplicaciones (DAST) contra el endpoint en vivo.

Runtime Moderate

Vigila los logs en tiempo de ejecución para detectar trazas de excepción inusuales, entradas malformadas o intentos de bypass de autorización.

Code review Moderate

Revisión de código: marca cualquier código nuevo que maneje entrada desde esta superficie sin usar los helpers validados del framework.

Auto-corrección de Plexicus

Plexicus detecta automáticamente CWE-1235 y abre un PR de corrección en menos de 60 segundos.

Codex Remedium escanea cada commit, identifica esta debilidad concreta y entrega un pull request listo para revisión con el parche. Sin tickets. Sin traspasos.

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Preguntas frecuentes

Frequently asked questions

¿Qué es 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.

¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-1235?

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-1235?

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

¿Cómo puedo prevenir 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.

¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-1235?

El motor SAST de Plexicus detecta la firma de flujo de datos para CWE-1235 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-1235?

MITRE publica la definición canónica en https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1235.html. También puedes consultar la documentación de OWASP y NIST para guías relacionadas.

Debilidades relacionadas

Weaknesses related to CWE-1235

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Recursos

Further reading

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