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by IncRnd 1254 days ago
> Integer overflow isn't a security issue unless your program's memory safety depends on the correctness of the integer operation.

That's simply not true and has wide-reaching horrible effects that can occur. The wrong number of tickets can be purchased from a website, charging for less than were purchased. The DNR order can be put in place instead of SAVE LIFE. There are countless security issues that can occur.

Saying that integer overflow is only an issue for memory safety is really bad and incorrect advice.

2 comments

That's most logic issues though, is it not? I agree with you though, i wish Rust more commonly pushed "safer" (not in the UB way) code, like `Vec::get` and `u32::overflow_add` and etc.

Luckily lints help to easily ban the arithmetic/etc ops from projects. Nevertheless i feel it should be a bit closer to Rust's home.

Do you have data on the relative frequency and severity of non-memory safety integer overflow security issues?
Here are over 3k CVEs that contain "integer overflow". That shouldn't be considered a comprehensive search.

https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvekey.cgi?keyword=integer+ove...

You don't need to have to have historical stats to show that it can be a security issue.
I know at least about the DAO hack.