CWE-1123: Excessive Use of Self-Modifying Code

What is Excessive Use of Self-Modifying Code?

• Overview: Excessive use of self-modifying code refers to a software design pattern where the program alters its own instructions while executing. This approach can complicate code maintenance, making it harder to identify, understand, and fix vulnerabilities.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by inserting malicious code during the modification phase, potentially altering the program's behavior.
• Common attack patterns include injecting code that modifies instructions to bypass security checks or to execute unauthorized actions.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences of successful exploitation include unauthorized code execution and potential system compromise.
• Potential cascading effects involve degradation of system integrity and reliability, leading to further vulnerabilities.
• Business impact can include data breaches, loss of customer trust, and increased maintenance costs.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes include minimizing or eliminating the use of self-modifying code, opting for alternative programming constructs.
• Security best practices involve conducting thorough code reviews and ensuring clear documentation of code behavior.
• Recommended tools and frameworks include using static analysis tools to detect and flag self-modifying code patterns, and adopting secure coding frameworks that discourage such practices.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not specified

Affected Technologies: Not specified