Function Call With Incorrect Order of Arguments
Weakness ID: 683 (Weakness Variant)Status: Draft
+ Description

Description Summary

The software calls a function, procedure, or routine, but the caller specifies the arguments in an incorrect order, leading to resultant weaknesses.

Extended Description

While this weakness might be caught by the compiler in some languages, it can occur more frequently in cases in which the called function accepts variable numbers or types of arguments, such as format strings in C. It also can occur in languages or environments that do not enforce strong typing.

+ Time of Introduction
  • Implementation
+ Modes of Introduction

This problem typically occurs when the programmer makes a typo, or copy and paste errors.

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1

The following PHP method authenticates a user given a username/password combination but is called with the parameters in reverse order.

(Bad Code)
Example Language: PHP 
function authenticate($username, $password) {
// authenticate user
...
}

authenticate($_POST['password'], $_POST['username']);
+ Observed Examples
ReferenceDescription
CVE-2006-7049Application calls functions with arguments in the wrong order, allowing attacker to bypass intended access restrictions.
+ Potential Mitigations

Use the function, procedure, or routine as specified.

Because this function call often produces incorrect behavior it will usually be detected during testing or normal operation of the software. During testing exercise all possible control paths will typically expose this weakness except in rare cases when the incorrect function call accidentally produces the correct results or if the provided argument type is very similar to the expected argument type.

+ Weakness Ordinalities
OrdinalityDescription
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Relationships
NatureTypeIDNameView(s) this relationship pertains toView(s)
ChildOfWeakness BaseWeakness Base628Function Call with Incorrectly Specified Arguments
Development Concepts (primary)699
Research Concepts (primary)1000
+ Content History
Modifications
Modification DateModifierOrganizationSource
2008-07-01Sean EidemillerCigitalExternal
added/updated demonstrative examples
2008-07-01Eric DalciCigitalExternal
updated Potential Mitigations
2008-09-08CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Description, Relationships, Other Notes, Weakness Ordinalities
2009-05-27CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Demonstrative Examples
2009-10-29CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Modes of Introduction, Other Notes, Potential Mitigations
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