Use After Free
Memory is referenced after it has been freed. Common in C/C++; a frequent root cause of zero-day exploits in browsers and kernels.
GateTest coverage
Not directly covered today. GateTest focuses on web-stack languages and infrastructure-as-code. For this class of bug, pair GateTest with a C/C++-aware analyzer.
Example
free(ptr); ... ptr->method(); — ptr now references reclaimed or attacker-controlled memory.
How to fix it
Use memory-safe languages (Rust's ownership model, Go's GC). Static analyzers like Clang Static Analyzer or CodeQL catch many cases. GateTest does not scan C/C++ today.
Frequently asked questions
What is CWE-416 (Use After Free)?
Memory is referenced after it has been freed. Common in C/C++; a frequent root cause of zero-day exploits in browsers and kernels.
How do I fix use after free?
Use memory-safe languages (Rust's ownership model, Go's GC). Static analyzers like Clang Static Analyzer or CodeQL catch many cases. GateTest does not scan C/C++ today.
Does GateTest detect CWE-416?
Not directly today. GateTest focuses on web-stack languages (JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Go, Java, Ruby, PHP) and infrastructure-as-code. Use After Free is most relevant to C / C++ code. For full coverage of this class, pair GateTest with CodeQL or a memory-safety analyzer.
What rank is Use After Free in the CWE Top 25?
Use After Free is ranked #4 in the MITRE 2023 CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses list. The ranking reflects both prevalence (how often it appears in real CVEs) and severity (the typical impact when it's exploited).