CWE-834: Excessive Iteration

What is Excessive Iteration?

• Overview: Excessive Iteration (CWE-834) occurs when a program executes a loop without adequately restricting the number of iterations, potentially leading to resource exhaustion.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can manipulate input to increase the number of loop iterations beyond intended limits.
• Common techniques include sending large or crafted data that causes the loop to execute excessively.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences include high CPU and memory usage, leading to degraded performance or denial of service.
• Potential cascading effects include system crashes or rendering the application unresponsive.
• Business impact involves service downtime, increased operational costs, and potential loss of customer trust.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Implement limits on loop iterations, particularly for loops influenced by user input.
• Use input validation and sanitization to prevent malicious input from controlling loop behavior.
• Employ tools and frameworks that help detect and mitigate excessive iteration vulnerabilities, such as static analysis tools.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not specified

Affected Technologies: Not specified