CWE-253: Incorrect Check of Function Return Value

BaseIncompleteExploit Likelihood: Low

The product incorrectly checks a return value from a function, which prevents it from detecting errors or exceptional conditions.

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Extended Description

Important and common functions will return some value about the success of its actions. This will alert the program whether or not to handle any errors caused by that function.

Technical Details

Structure
Simple
Vulnerability Mapping
ALLOWED

Applicable To

Languages
Not Language-Specific
Platforms

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-253 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-253, Incorrect Check of Function Return Value, throughout the product lifecycle. Derive review questions, static or dynamic checks, and negative tests from the CWE's causal behavior; define the components and lifecycle stages each check covers; and retain findings with enough evidence to distinguish the root cause from symptoms and impacts. Track escapes and false negatives, then improve the verification plan after every confirmed occurrence.

NIST SP 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework — National Institute of Standards and Technology

Apply Language Selection controls for Incorrect Check of Function Return Value

MITRE associates mitigation with Architecture and Design, and Implementation; the listed strategies include Language Selection; documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-253 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-253: Incorrect Check of Function Return Value — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-253 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-253, Incorrect Check of Function Return Value, has evidence of exploitation in the wild. Confirm the CVE-to-CWE root-cause mapping independently before attaching the example, then capture the affected product, required action, and remediation deadline. A missing KEV match is not evidence that the weakness is unexploited, and a KEV entry must not be generalized to every occurrence of this CWE.

Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog — Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Apply precise root-cause mapping to CWE-253

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-253, Incorrect Check of Function Return Value. Separate weakness language from attacker prerequisites and technical impact, check the entry's abstraction and vulnerability-mapping notes, and prefer the most specific Base or Variant supported by the evidence. Record the rejected alternatives and require an independent review before the mapping is used for remediation trends or program metrics.

CVE to CWE Root Cause Mapping Guidance — MITRE CWE

Validate CWE-253 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-253, Incorrect Check of Function Return Value. Confirm the finding describes the causal weakness rather than an impact or attack pattern, compare the abstraction and mapping notes with plausible alternatives, and have a second reviewer challenge the selection. Preserve the evidence and reasoning so recurring defects can be measured against one consistent identifier.

CVE to CWE Root Cause Mapping Quick Tips — MITRE CWE

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CWE-253: Incorrect Check of Function Return Value?+

CWE-253: Incorrect Check of Function Return Value is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product incorrectly checks a return value from a function, which prevents it from detecting errors or exceptional conditions. Important and common functions will return some value about the success of its actions. This will alert the program whether or not to handle any errors caused by that function.

What are the security consequences of Incorrect Check of Function Return Value?+

If exploited, CWE-253 (Incorrect Check of Function Return Value) it can compromise Availability and Integrity, leading to outcomes such as Unexpected State and DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart.

How do you prevent or mitigate Incorrect Check of Function Return Value?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-253 include: Use a language or compiler that uses exceptions and requires the catching of those exceptions. Properly check all functions which return a value. When designing any function make sure you return a value or throw an exception in case of an error.

Which programming languages are affected by Incorrect Check of Function Return Value?+

CWE-253 commonly affects Not Language-Specific. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.

What are real-world examples of Incorrect Check of Function Return Value?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-253, including CVE-2023-49286. You can look up the full details of each CVE, including CVSS scores and remediation guidance, on our CVE Lookup tool.

What is the difference between a CWE and a CVE?+

A CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) like CWE-253 describes a category of software weakness — the underlying flaw type. A CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) identifies a specific, real-world vulnerability in a particular product. In short, a CWE is the kind of mistake, and a CVE is an instance of that mistake being found in software.

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