finalize() Method Declared Public
Weakness ID: 583 (Weakness Variant)Status: Incomplete
+ Description

Description Summary

The program violates secure coding principles for mobile code by declaring a finalize() method public.

Extended Description

A program should never call finalize explicitly, except to call super.finalize() inside an implementation of finalize(). In mobile code situations, the otherwise error prone practice of manual garbage collection can become a security threat if an attacker can maliciously invoke one of your finalize() methods because it is declared with public access.

+ Time of Introduction
  • Implementation
+ Applicable Platforms

Languages

Java

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1

The following Java Applet code mistakenly declares a public finalize() method.

(Bad Code)
Example Language: Java 
public final class urlTool extends Applet {
public void finalize() {
...
}
...
}

Mobile code, in this case a Java Applet, is code that is transmitted across a network and executed on a remote machine. Because mobile code developers have little if any control of the environment in which their code will execute, special security concerns become relevant. One of the biggest environmental threats results from the risk that the mobile code will run side-by-side with other, potentially malicious, mobile code. Because all of the popular web browsers execute code from multiple sources together in the same JVM, many of the security guidelines for mobile code are focused on preventing manipulation of your objects' state and behavior by adversaries who have access to the same virtual machine where your program is running.

+ Potential Mitigations

If you are using finalize() as it was designed, there is no reason to declare finalize() with anything other than protected access.

+ Relationships
NatureTypeIDNameView(s) this relationship pertains toView(s)
ChildOfCategoryCategory490Mobile Code Issues
Development Concepts (primary)699
ChildOfWeakness ClassWeakness Class668Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere
Research Concepts (primary)1000
+ Content History
Modifications
Modification DateModifierOrganizationSource
2008-07-01Eric DalciCigitalExternal
updated Time of Introduction
2008-09-08CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Relationships, Other Notes
2009-05-27CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Demonstrative Examples
2009-10-29CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Description, Other Notes
Previous Entry Names
Change DatePrevious Entry Name
2008-04-11Mobile Code: Public Finalize Method
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