What is CWE-781: Improper Address Validation in IOCTL with METHOD_NEITHER I/O Control Code?+
CWE-781: Improper Address Validation in IOCTL with METHOD_NEITHER I/O Control Code is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product defines an IOCTL that uses METHOD_NEITHER for I/O, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates the addresses that are provided. When an IOCTL uses the METHOD_NEITHER option for I/O control, it is the responsibility of the IOCTL to validate the addresses that have been supplied to it. If validation is missing or incorrect, attackers can supply arbitrary memory addresses, leading to code execution or a denial of service.
What are the security consequences of Improper Address Validation in IOCTL with METHOD_NEITHER I/O Control Code?+
If exploited, CWE-781 (Improper Address Validation in IOCTL with METHOD_NEITHER I/O Control Code) it can compromise Integrity, Availability and Confidentiality, leading to outcomes such as Modify Memory, Read Memory, Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands and DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart.
How do you prevent or mitigate Improper Address Validation in IOCTL with METHOD_NEITHER I/O Control Code?+
Recommended mitigations for CWE-781 include: If METHOD_NEITHER is required for the IOCTL, then ensure that all user-space addresses are properly validated before they are first accessed. The ProbeForRead and ProbeForWrite routines are available for this task. Also properly protect and manage the user-supplied buffers, since the I/O Manager does not do this when METHOD_NEITHER is being used. See References. If possible, avoid using METHOD_NEITHER in the IOCTL and select methods that effectively control the buffer size, such as METHOD_BUFFERED, METHOD_IN_DIRECT, or METHOD_OUT_DIRECT. If the IOCTL is part of a driver that is only intended to be accessed by trusted users, then use proper access control for the associated device or device namespace. See References.
Which programming languages are affected by Improper Address Validation in IOCTL with METHOD_NEITHER I/O Control Code?+
CWE-781 commonly affects C and C++. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.
What are real-world examples of Improper Address Validation in IOCTL with METHOD_NEITHER I/O Control Code?+
MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-781, including CVE-2006-2373, CVE-2009-0686, CVE-2009-0824, CVE-2008-5724 and CVE-2007-5756. 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-781 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.