Duplicate Key in Associative List (Alist)
Weakness ID: 462 (Weakness Base)Status: Incomplete
+ Description

Description Summary

Duplicate keys in associative lists can lead to non-unique keys being mistaken for an error.

Extended Description

A duplicate key entry -- if the alist is designed properly -- could be used as a constant time replace function. However, duplicate key entries could be inserted by mistake. Because of this ambiguity, duplicate key entries in an association list are not recommended and should not be allowed.

+ Time of Introduction
  • Architecture and Design
  • Implementation
+ Applicable Platforms

Languages

C

C++

Java

.NET

+ Likelihood of Exploit

Low

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1

The following code adds data to a list and then attempts to sort the data.

(Bad Code)
 
alist = []
while (foo()): #now assume there is a string data with a key basename
queue.append(basename,data)
queue.sort()

Since basename is not necessarily unique, this may not sort how one would like it to be.

+ Potential Mitigations

Phase: Architecture and Design

Use a hash table instead of an alist.

Phase: Architecture and Design

Use an alist which checks the uniqueness of hash keys with each entry before inserting the entry.

+ Relationships
NatureTypeIDNameView(s) this relationship pertains toView(s)
ChildOfCategoryCategory461Data Structure Issues
Development Concepts (primary)699
ChildOfWeakness BaseWeakness Base694Use of Multiple Resources with Duplicate Identifier
Research Concepts (primary)1000
ChildOfCategoryCategory744CERT C Secure Coding Section 10 - Environment (ENV)
Weaknesses Addressed by the CERT C Secure Coding Standard (primary)734
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy NameNode IDFitMapped Node Name
CLASPDuplicate key in associative list (alist)
CERT C Secure CodingENV02-CBeware of multiple environment variables with the same effective name
+ Content History
Submissions
Submission DateSubmitterOrganizationSource
CLASPExternally Mined
Modifications
Modification DateModifierOrganizationSource
2008-07-01Eric DalciCigitalExternal
updated Time of Introduction
2008-09-08CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Applicable Platforms, Relationships, Other Notes, Taxonomy Mappings
2008-11-24CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Relationships, Taxonomy Mappings
2009-10-29CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Demonstrative Examples, Description, Other Notes
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