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CWE-1322 - Use of Blocking Code in Single-threaded, Non-blocking Context

CWE-1322

  • Abstraction:
  • Base
  • Structure:
  • Simple
  • Status:
  • Incomplete
Weakness Name

Use of Blocking Code in Single-threaded, Non-blocking Context

Description

The product uses a non-blocking model that relies on a single threaded process for features such as scalability, but it contains code that can block when it is invoked.

When an attacker can directly invoke the blocking code, or the blocking code can be affected by environmental conditions that can be influenced by an attacker, then this can lead to a denial of service by causing unexpected hang or freeze of the code. Examples of blocking code might be an expensive computation or calling blocking library calls, such as those that perform exclusive file operations or require a successful network operation. Due to limitations in multi-thread models, single-threaded models are used to overcome the resource constraints that are caused by using many threads. In such a model, all code should generally be non-blocking. If blocking code is called, then the event loop will effectively be stopped, which can be undesirable or dangerous. Such models are used in Python asyncio, Vert.x, and Node.js, or other custom event loop code.

Common Consequences

Scope: Availability

Impact: DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU)

Notes: An unexpected call to blocking code can trigger an infinite loop, or a large loop that causes the software to pause and wait indefinitely.

Related Weaknesses
  • Release Date:
  • 2020-12-10
  • Latest Modification Date:
  • 2023-06-29

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