CWE-1071 Base Incomplet

Empty Code Block

An empty code block occurs when a section of source code, such as a conditional statement or function body, contains no executable statements.

Définition

What is CWE-1071?

An empty code block occurs when a section of source code, such as a conditional statement or function body, contains no executable statements.
Empty blocks can appear in various places like if/else conditionals, loops, function definitions, or exception handlers. While sometimes intentionally used as a placeholder, they often signal problems like incomplete features, accidentally deleted logic, or unexpected behavior from macros or code generators. For developers, these empty blocks are a red flag. Even if the language syntax allows them, they frequently violate API contracts or expected program behavior, leading to silent failures or security issues where an action is assumed but never executed. Code reviews should actively identify and justify any empty block to prevent unintentional gaps in application logic.
Impact réel

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1071

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. 1

    In the following Java example, the code catches an ArithmeticException.

  2. 2

    Since the exception block is empty, no action is taken.

  3. 3

    In the code below the exception has been logged and the bad execution has been handled in the desired way allowing the program to continue in an expected way.

  4. 4

    The following code attempts to synchronize on an object, but does not execute anything in the synchronized block. This does not actually accomplish anything and may be a sign that a programmer is wrestling with synchronization but has not yet achieved the result they intend.

  5. 5

    Instead, in a correct usage, the synchronized statement should contain procedures that access or modify data that is exposed to multiple threads. For example, consider a scenario in which several threads are accessing student records at the same time. The method which sets the student ID to a new value will need to make sure that nobody else is accessing this data at the same time and will require synchronization.

Exemple de code vulnérable

Vulnerable Java

In the following Java example, the code catches an ArithmeticException.

Vulnérable Java 
public class Main {
  	public static void main(String[] args) { 
  		int a = 1; 
  		int b = 0; 
  		int c = 0;
  		try { 
  			c = a / b;
  		} catch(ArithmeticException ae) { 
  		}
  	}
  }
Exemple de code sécurisé

Secure Java

In the code below the exception has been logged and the bad execution has been handled in the desired way allowing the program to continue in an expected way.

Sécurisé Java 
public class Main {
  	public static void main(String[] args) { 
  		int a = 1; 
  		int b = 0; 
  		int c = 0;
  		try { 
  			c = a / b;
  		} catch(ArithmeticException ae) { 
  			log.error("Divided by zero detected, setting to -1."); 
  			c = -1;
  		}
  	}
  }
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-1071

  • 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.
Signaux de détection

How to detect CWE-1071

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.

Correction automatique Plexicus

Plexicus détecte automatiquement CWE-1071 et ouvre une PR de correction en moins de 60 secondes.

Codex Remedium analyse chaque commit, identifie cette faiblesse précise et livre une pull request prête à être relue avec le correctif. Pas de tickets. Pas de transferts.

Obtenir une démo Essayer Plexicus gratuitement
Questions fréquentes

Frequently asked questions

Qu'est-ce que CWE-1071 ?

An empty code block occurs when a section of source code, such as a conditional statement or function body, contains no executable statements.

Quelle est la gravité de CWE-1071 ?

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-1071 ?

MITRE n'a pas spécifié les plateformes affectées pour ce CWE — il peut s'appliquer à la plupart des stacks applicatives.

Comment puis-je prévenir CWE-1071 ?

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.

Comment Plexicus détecte et corrige CWE-1071 ?

Le moteur SAST de Plexicus reconnaît la signature de flux de données de CWE-1071 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-1071 ?

MITRE publie la définition canonique à https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1071.html. Vous pouvez également consulter la documentation OWASP et NIST pour des conseils adjacents.

Faiblesses associées

Weaknesses related to CWE-1071

CWE-1164 Parent

Irrelevant Code

Irrelevant code refers to sections of a program that have no impact on its execution, data, or logic. Removing this code would not change…

CWE-107 Frère

Struts: Unused Validation Form

This vulnerability occurs when a Struts application contains validation form definitions that are no longer linked to any active form or…

CWE-110 Frère

Struts: Validator Without Form Field

This vulnerability occurs when a Struts application's validation configuration file references form fields that no longer exist in the…

CWE-561 Frère

Dead Code

Dead code refers to sections of a program that can never run during normal execution, effectively making them inactive and unreachable.

CWE-563 Frère

Assignment to Variable without Use

This vulnerability occurs when a value is stored in a variable, but that variable is never read or used in subsequent code, creating a…

CWE-1069 Enfant

Empty Exception Block

This weakness occurs when a try-catch or try-finally block is present but contains no code to handle the caught exception or perform…

CWE-585 Enfant

Empty Synchronized Block

An empty synchronized block is a Java code construct where a synchronized block exists but contains no executable statements inside it.

Ressources

Further reading

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