CWE Rule 1429

R2026b

Missing Security-Relevant Feedback for Unexecuted Operations in Hardware Interface

Since R2026b

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Description

Missing Security-Relevant Feedback for Unexecuted Operations in Hardware Interface

Polyspace Implementation

The rule checker checks for Returned value of a sensitive function not checked.

Examples

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Issue

Returned value of a sensitive function not checked occurs when you call a function designated as critical in your code behavior specifications file, but you:

  • Ignore the return value.

  • Cast the return value to void.

This checker requires you to specify which functions in your codebase are security-critical by using a -code-behavior-specifications datalog file. In the datalog file, include these components:

  • Include the definitions in the source file models/interfaces/sensitive_function.dl.

  • Specify functions as critical:

sensitive_function.is_critical("foo").

Specify the datalog file as the input to the option -code-behavior-specifications.

Risk

If you do not check the return value of critical functions, security-relevant failures can remain undetected:

  • Cryptographic operations can fail silently, leading to unencrypted data being transmitted as if it were protected.

  • Hardware interface functions can discard operations without feedback, masking security breaches or system failures.

  • Resource allocation functions can fail without notification, causing data loss or system instability.

Fix

Capture and check the return value of all functions designated as critical in your code behavior specifications. Do not cast the return value to void for critical functions.

Example — Return value of critical function ignored

In this example, the function encrypt_data is designated as critical in the code behavior specifications file. The program calls encrypt_data without capturing its return value.


extern int encrypt_data(const char *input, char *output, int length);
extern void transmit(const char *data, int length);

void process_message(const char *message, int length) {
    char encrypted[256];

    encrypt_data(message, encrypted, length);  // Noncompliant
    transmit(encrypted, length);
}

The call to encrypt_data can fail without any feedback. If the encryption operation fails, the program transmits unprocessed data, potentially exposing sensitive information.

To specify encrypt_data as a critical function, use this datalog code in a .dl file and specify the file as input to -code-behavior-specifications:

.include "models/interfaces/sensitive_function.dl"

sensitive_function.is_critical("encrypt_data").

Correction — Check return value of critical function

One possible correction is to capture and check the return value of encrypt_data before proceeding with transmission.


#include <stdlib.h>

extern int encrypt_data(const char *input, char *output, int length);
extern void transmit(const char *data, int length);

void process_message(const char *message, int length) {
    char encrypted[256];

    int result = encrypt_data(message, encrypted, length);  // Compliant
    if (result != 0) {
        /* Handle encryption failure */
        abort();
    }
    transmit(encrypted, length);
}

Use the datalog code to specify the critical function:

.include "models/interfaces/sensitive_function.dl"

sensitive_function.is_critical("encrypt_data").

Check Information

Category: Others
PQL Name: std.cwe_native.R1429

Version History

Introduced in R2026b

See Also

Topics