CWE-587 Variant Draft

Assignment of a Fixed Address to a Pointer

This vulnerability occurs when code explicitly assigns a hardcoded memory address to a pointer, instead of using a dynamic or null value.

Definition

What is CWE-587?

This vulnerability occurs when code explicitly assigns a hardcoded memory address to a pointer, instead of using a dynamic or null value.
Assigning a fixed memory address, like 0xDEADBEEF, creates code that is inherently non-portable. The address is only meaningful within a specific execution environment, memory layout, or platform. When the software runs on a different operating system, hardware, or even after a system update, that exact memory location will likely be invalid or contain unrelated data, leading to crashes or undefined behavior. This practice bypasses the operating system's memory management and can severely hinder code reuse and security. Developers should always rely on safe memory allocation functions or system APIs to obtain valid pointers, ensuring the application functions correctly across different environments and remains maintainable.
Real-world impact

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-587

No public CVE references are linked to this CWE in MITRE's catalog yet.

How attackers exploit it

Step-by-step attacker path

  1. 1

    Identify a code path that handles untrusted input without validation.

  2. 2

    Craft a payload that exercises the unsafe behavior — injection, traversal, overflow, or logic abuse.

  3. 3

    Deliver the payload through a normal request and observe the application's reaction.

  4. 4

    Iterate until the response leaks data, executes attacker code, or escalates privileges.

Vulnerable code example

Vulnerable C

This code assumes a particular function will always be found at a particular address. It assigns a pointer to that address and calls the function.

Vulnerable C 
int (*pt2Function) (float, char, char)=0x08040000;
  int result2 = (*pt2Function) (12, 'a', 'b');
```
// Here we can inject code to execute.*
Secure code example

Secure pseudo

Secure pseudo 
// Validate, sanitize, or use a safe API before reaching the sink.
function handleRequest(input) {
  const safe = validateAndEscape(input);
  return executeWithGuards(safe);
}
What changed: the unsafe sink is replaced (or the input is validated/escaped) so the same payload no longer triggers the weakness.
Prevention checklist

How to prevent CWE-587

  • Implementation Never set a pointer to a fixed address.
Detection signals

How to detect CWE-587

SAST High

Run static analysis (SAST) on the codebase looking for the unsafe pattern in the data flow.

DAST Moderate

Run dynamic application security testing against the live endpoint.

Runtime Moderate

Watch runtime logs for unusual exception traces, malformed input, or authorization bypass attempts.

Code review Moderate

Code review: flag any new code that handles input from this surface without using the validated framework helpers.

Plexicus auto-fix

Plexicus auto-detects CWE-587 and opens a fix PR in under 60 seconds.

Codex Remedium scans every commit, identifies this exact weakness, and ships a reviewer-ready pull request with the patch. No tickets. No hand-offs.

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Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

What is CWE-587?

This vulnerability occurs when code explicitly assigns a hardcoded memory address to a pointer, instead of using a dynamic or null value.

How serious is CWE-587?

MITRE has not published a likelihood-of-exploit rating for this weakness. Treat it as medium-impact until your threat model proves otherwise.

What languages or platforms are affected by CWE-587?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: C, C++, C#, Assembly.

How can I prevent CWE-587?

Never set a pointer to a fixed address.

How does Plexicus detect and fix CWE-587?

Plexicus's SAST engine matches the data-flow signature for CWE-587 on every commit. When a match is found, our Codex Remedium agent opens a fix PR with the corrected code, tests, and a one-line summary for the reviewer.

Where can I learn more about CWE-587?

MITRE publishes the canonical definition at https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/587.html. You can also reference OWASP and NIST documentation for adjacent guidance.

Related weaknesses

Weaknesses related to CWE-587

CWE-758 Parent

Reliance on Undefined, Unspecified, or Implementation-Defined Behavior

This weakness occurs when software depends on specific behaviors of an API, data structure, or system component that are not formally…

CWE-1038 Sibling

Insecure Automated Optimizations

This vulnerability occurs when software uses automated tools to optimize code for performance or efficiency, but those optimizations…

CWE-1102 Sibling

Reliance on Machine-Dependent Data Representation

This weakness occurs when software directly depends on how a specific machine, processor, or operating system represents data in memory.…

CWE-1103 Sibling

Use of Platform-Dependent Third Party Components

This weakness occurs when software depends on third-party libraries or components that behave differently or lack support across various…

CWE-1105 Sibling

Insufficient Encapsulation of Machine-Dependent Functionality

This weakness occurs when an application relies on hardware-specific or platform-dependent features but fails to isolate that code from…

CWE-474 Sibling

Use of Function with Inconsistent Implementations

This vulnerability occurs when code relies on a function whose behavior changes across different operating systems or versions, leading to…

CWE-562 Sibling

Return of Stack Variable Address

This vulnerability occurs when a function returns a pointer to its own local variable. Since that variable's memory is on the stack, the…

CWE-588 Sibling

Attempt to Access Child of a Non-structure Pointer

This vulnerability occurs when code incorrectly treats a pointer to a basic data type (like an integer) as if it points to a structured…

Resources

Further reading

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