CWEweakness
CWE-481 Assigning instead of Comparing
Low
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- Abstraction
- Variant
- Structure
- Simple
- Status
- Draft
- Likelihood of exploit
- Low
- Languages
- C, C#, C++, Java
- CWE version
- 5.0
Description
The code uses an operator for assignment when the intention was to perform a comparison.
Common consequences
• Other: Alter Execution Logic
Potential mitigations
• [Implementation] Place constants on the left. If one attempts to assign a constant with a variable, the compiler will produce an error.
Detection methods
• Automated Static Analysis: Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)
• Automated Static Analysis - Source Code: An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) or linter can report or highlight this weakness.
Related
Can precede · CWE (1)
- CWE-697 Incorrect Comparison weakness
Child of · CWE (1)
- CWE-480 Use of Incorrect Operator weakness