CWE-1124: Excessively Deep Nesting

What is Excessively Deep Nesting?

• Overview: Excessively deep nesting occurs when code contains functions or constructs with too many nested levels, making it hard to read, understand, and maintain. This complexity can hinder the ability to spot and fix vulnerabilities and can introduce new ones.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers may exploit this by hiding malicious code within deeply nested structures, making it less likely to be noticed.
• Common attack patterns include inserting malicious logic into the deep nesting to execute unintended commands when certain conditions are met.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences include increased difficulty in code review and vulnerability assessment.
• Potential cascading effects involve introducing bugs or vulnerabilities that go unnoticed due to the complexity.
• Business impact includes increased maintenance costs and potential security breaches due to overlooked vulnerabilities.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes include refactoring code to reduce nesting by breaking down complex functions into smaller, more manageable pieces.
• Security best practices involve setting limits on nesting levels and encouraging clear, maintainable code.
• Recommended tools and frameworks include static code analysis tools that can flag excessive nesting and IDE plugins that help visualize code complexity.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not specified

Affected Technologies: Not specified