CWE-674: Uncontrolled Recursion

Code Examples & CVEs

Demonstrative Examples

In this example a mistake exists in the code where the exit condition contained in flg is never called. This results in the function calling itself over and over again until the stack is exhausted.

Note that the only difference between the Good and Bad examples is that the recursion flag will change value and cause the recursive call to return.

BadC

void do_something_recursive (int flg) 	    { 	     	      ... // Do some real work here, but the value of flg is unmodified 	      if (flg) { do_something_recursive (flg); }    // flg is never modified so it is always TRUE - this call will continue until the stack explodes 	     	    } 	    int flag = 1; // Set to TRUE 	    do_something_recursive (flag);

In this example a mistake exists in the code where the exit condition contained in flg is never called. This results in the function calling itself over and over again until the stack is exhausted.

Note that the only difference between the Good and Bad examples is that the recursion flag will change value and cause the recursive call to return.

GoodC

void do_something_recursive (int flg) 	    { 	     	      ... // Do some real work here 	      // Modify value of flg on done condition 	      if (flg) { do_something_recursive (flg); }    // returns when flg changes to 0 	     	    } 	    int flag = 1; // Set to TRUE 	    do_something_recursive (flag);

Observed CVE Examples (5)

CVE-2007-1285

Deeply nested arrays trigger stack exhaustion.

View Details

CVE-2007-3409

Self-referencing pointers create infinite loop and resultant stack exhaustion.

View Details

CVE-2016-10707

Javascript application accidentally changes input in a way that prevents a recursive call from detecting an exit condition.

View Details

CVE-2016-3627

An attempt to recover a corrupted XML file infinite recursion protection counter was not always incremented missing the exit condition.

View Details

CVE-2019-15118

USB-audio driver's descriptor code parsing allows unlimited recursion leading to stack exhaustion.

View Details

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-674 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-674, Uncontrolled Recursion, 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

Address Uncontrolled Recursion during Implementation

MITRE associates mitigation with Implementation; documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis; recorded impacts include DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU), DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory), and Read Application Data. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-674 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-674: Uncontrolled Recursion — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-674 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-674, Uncontrolled Recursion, 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-674

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-674, Uncontrolled Recursion. 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-674 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-674, Uncontrolled Recursion. 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-674: Uncontrolled Recursion?+

CWE-674: Uncontrolled Recursion is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product does not properly control the amount of recursion that takes place, consuming excessive resources, such as allocated memory or the program stack.

What are the security consequences of Uncontrolled Recursion?+

If exploited, CWE-674 (Uncontrolled Recursion) it can compromise Availability and Confidentiality, leading to outcomes such as DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU), DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory) and Read Application Data.

How do you prevent or mitigate Uncontrolled Recursion?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-674 include: Ensure that an end condition will be reached under all logic conditions. The end condition may include checking against the depth of recursion and exiting with an error if the recursion goes too deep. The complexity of the end condition contributes to the effectiveness of this action. Increase the stack size.

Which programming languages are affected by Uncontrolled Recursion?+

CWE-674 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 Uncontrolled Recursion?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-674, including CVE-2007-1285, CVE-2007-3409, CVE-2016-10707, CVE-2016-3627 and CVE-2019-15118. 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-674 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.

CWE-674: Uncontrolled Recursion

Technical Details

Applicable To

Security Consequences

Scope

Impact

Scope

Impact

Mitigation Strategies

Phase

Description

Effectiveness

Phase

Description

Effectiveness

Detection Methods

Code Examples & CVEs

Demonstrative Examples

Observed CVE Examples (5)

CWE Relationships

Parent Weaknesses

Source-backed guidance

Verify controls for CWE-674 with SSDF evidence

Address Uncontrolled Recursion during Implementation

Triage CWE-674 against known exploitation evidence

Apply precise root-cause mapping to CWE-674

Validate CWE-674 with root-cause mapping checks

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn More