Performing a Security-Oriented Analysis

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CodeSonar^® 9.2p0

CONFIDENTIAL

CodeSecure Inc

Performing a Security-Oriented Analysis

In many cases the default configuration file parameter settings will work well for your analyses. This section lists the parameters to concentrate on if you want to run security-oriented analyses.

The security Preset

Security warnings describe out of bounds memory accesses, integer overflows, hardcoded server addresses, and suspicious taint flows. CodeSonar detects some of each of these things (except server addresses) by default, but by enabling security warnings, it will detect even more.

Security warnings are likely to have a higher false positive rate than the warnings that are enabled by default.

Security analysis is likely to cause only a minor increase in analysis time. However, CodeSecure recommends also using the thorough analysis settings to maximize the number of security issues detected.

Command Line	Specify -preset security as part of your build/analysis command. For example: codesonar analyze MyProj -preset security localhost:7340 make
Define as a default preset	Copy security.conf from $CSONAR/codesonar/presets/ to $CSONAR/codesonar/default_presets/. OR Use the CodeSonar Configuration Tool Modify Analysis Settings option.
Windows Build Wizard	Select security from the Preset list on screen 2.
Eclipse Plug-In	Select security from the Presets list in the Properties dialog.
Visual Studio Plug-In	Select security from the Presets list in the Project Properties dialog.

Command Line

Specify -preset security as part of your build/analysis command. For example:

codesonar analyze MyProj -preset security localhost:7340 make

Define as a default preset

Copy security.conf from $CSONAR/codesonar/presets/ to $CSONAR/codesonar/default_presets/.
OR
Use the CodeSonar Configuration Tool Modify Analysis Settings option.

Windows Build Wizard

Select security from the Preset list on screen 2.

Eclipse Plug-In

Select security from the Presets list in the Properties dialog.

Visual Studio Plug-In

Select security from the Presets list in the Project Properties dialog.

Setting Notes

The following table lists the configuration settings in the security preset which enables the C/C++ warning classes that are considered most useful for security audits. This is a strict subset of those classes whose significance is 'security'.

Enabled by preset	Notes
Disabled if preset not used, unless explicitly enabled elsewhere [*]	Remain enabled if preset not used, unless explicitly disabled elsewhere [*]
2$Buffer Overrun	Buffer Overrun Buffer Underrun Tainted Buffer Access Type Overrun Type Underrun	These warning classes warn of conditions in which out of bounds access might occur. Note that by using both Buffer Overrun and 2$Buffer Overrun, CodeSonar can find more buffer overruns than it does by default.
Addition Overflow of Allocation Size Multiplication Overflow of Allocation Size Subtraction Underflow of Allocation Size Truncation of Allocation Size	Integer Overflow of Allocation Size	These warning classes indicate conditions in which values used to determine the size of an allocation could lead to exploitable underrun or overrun conditions.
Addition Overflow of Size Multiplication Overflow of Size Subtraction Underflow of Size Truncation of Size		These warning classes indicate conditions in which values used to determine the size of something other than an allocation could lead to exploitable underrun or overrun conditions.
	Unreasonable Size Argument	This warning class indicates a size parameter may be negative or execessively large.
	Coercion Alters Value	This warning class indicates a condition in which coercion errors could lead to exploitable buffer overflow conditions.
	Negative Shift Amount Shift Amount Exceeds Bit Width	These warning classes indicate conditions in which shifts might compute unexpected results, which could result in security-related issues.
	Overlapping Memory Regions	This warning class indicates a condition in which copied data overlaps the location to which the data is being copied, which can result in corrupted data.
	SQL Injection Format String LDAP Injection Library Injection Command Injection Format String Injection	These warning classes indicate a condition in which an attacker can control or affect some code being interpreted.
Tainted Network Address Tainted Write	Double Free Return Pointer to Freed Return Pointer to Local Use After Free Pool Mismatch Type Mismatch Negative Character Value Unterminated C String Misaligned Object Uninitialized Variable	These warning classes indicate conditions in which an attacker might be able to execute arbitrary code, corrupt memory, or access sensitive/secret information.
	File System Race Condition	This warning class indicates a condition in which an attacker could gain access to otherwise unauthorized resources. Race conditions could be employed to gain read or write access to resources which are not normally readable or writable.
	Function Call Has No Effect	All warnings of this class refer to memory-copying function calls whose length argument is a constant-valued expression that evaluates to zero and may lead to disclosure of sensitive/secret information.
Hardcoded DNS Name	Hardcoded Authentication Hardcoded Crypto Key Hardcoded Crypto Salt Plaintext Storage of Password	These warning classes indicate the presence of various types of sensitive information being stored directly in a program. These conditions could allow an attacker to bypass intended authentication methods.
Tainted Allocation Size Tainted Configuration Setting Tainted Filename		These warning classes indicate conditions in which tainted values might affect program behavior in security-relevant ways.
	Encryption without Padding	This warning class indicates that a program is trying to encode something with weaker than expected encryption.
	Use After Close	This warning class indicates a condition in which a released resource could be subsequently reused or reallocated, allowing access to sensitive data that is associated with a different user or entity.

Enabled by preset

Notes

Disabled if preset not used, unless explicitly enabled elsewhere [*]

Remain enabled if preset not used, unless explicitly disabled elsewhere [*]

2$Buffer Overrun

Buffer Overrun
Buffer Underrun
Tainted Buffer Access
Type Overrun
Type Underrun

These warning classes warn of conditions in which out of bounds access might occur. Note that by using both Buffer Overrun and 2$Buffer Overrun, CodeSonar can find more buffer overruns than it does by default.

Addition Overflow of Allocation Size
Multiplication Overflow of Allocation Size
Subtraction Underflow of Allocation Size
Truncation of Allocation Size

Integer Overflow of Allocation Size

These warning classes indicate conditions in which values used to determine the size of an allocation could lead to exploitable underrun or overrun conditions.

Addition Overflow of Size
Multiplication Overflow of Size
Subtraction Underflow of Size
Truncation of Size

These warning classes indicate conditions in which values used to determine the size of something other than an allocation could lead to exploitable underrun or overrun conditions.

Unreasonable Size Argument

This warning class indicates a size parameter may be negative or execessively large.

Coercion Alters Value

This warning class indicates a condition in which coercion errors could lead to exploitable buffer overflow conditions.

Negative Shift Amount
Shift Amount Exceeds Bit Width

These warning classes indicate conditions in which shifts might compute unexpected results, which could result in security-related issues.

Overlapping Memory Regions

This warning class indicates a condition in which copied data overlaps the location to which the data is being copied, which can result in corrupted data.

SQL Injection
Format String
LDAP Injection
Library Injection
Command Injection
Format String Injection

These warning classes indicate a condition in which an attacker can control or affect some code being interpreted.

Tainted Network Address
Tainted Write

Double Free
Return Pointer to Freed
Return Pointer to Local
Use After Free
Pool Mismatch
Type Mismatch
Negative Character Value
Unterminated C String
Misaligned Object
Uninitialized Variable

These warning classes indicate conditions in which an attacker might be able to execute arbitrary code, corrupt memory, or access sensitive/secret information.

File System Race Condition

This warning class indicates a condition in which an attacker could gain access to otherwise unauthorized resources. Race conditions could be employed to gain read or write access to resources which are not normally readable or writable.

Function Call Has No Effect

All warnings of this class refer to memory-copying function calls whose length argument is a constant-valued expression that evaluates to zero and may lead to disclosure of sensitive/secret information.

Hardcoded DNS Name

Hardcoded Authentication
Hardcoded Crypto Key
Hardcoded Crypto Salt
Plaintext Storage of Password

These warning classes indicate the presence of various types of sensitive information being stored directly in a program. These conditions could allow an attacker to bypass intended authentication methods.

Tainted Allocation Size
Tainted Configuration Setting
Tainted Filename

These warning classes indicate conditions in which tainted values might affect program behavior in security-relevant ways.

Encryption without Padding

This warning class indicates that a program is trying to encode something with weaker than expected encryption.

Use After Close

This warning class indicates a condition in which a released resource could be subsequently reused or reallocated, allowing access to sensitive data that is associated with a different user or entity.