CWE-824: Access of Uninitialized Pointer

BaseIncomplete

The product accesses or uses a pointer that has not been initialized.

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Extended Description

If the pointer contains an uninitialized value, then the value might not point to a valid memory location. This could cause the product to read from or write to unexpected memory locations, leading to a denial of service. If the uninitialized pointer is used as a function call, then arbitrary functions could be invoked. If an attacker can influence the portion of uninitialized memory that is contained in the pointer, this weakness could be leveraged to execute code or perform other attacks. Depending on memory layout, associated memory management behaviors, and product operation, the attacker might be able to influence the contents of the uninitialized pointer, thus gaining more fine-grained control of the memory location to be accessed.

Technical Details

Structure
Simple
Vulnerability Mapping
ALLOWED

Applicable To

Languages
CC++Memory-Unsafe
Platforms

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Detect Access of Uninitialized Pointer with Automated Static Analysis

Documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis, and Automated Dynamic Analysis; recorded impacts include Read Memory, DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart, and Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; observed examples include CVE-2024-32878, CVE-2019-3836, and CVE-2018-14641. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-824 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-824: Access of Uninitialized Pointer — MITRE CWE

Prevent CWE-824 through an SSDF control plan

Use NIST SSDF practices to make prevention of CWE-824, Access of Uninitialized Pointer, an explicit development outcome. Translate the CWE definition into security requirements and design constraints, choose safer implementation patterns and toolchain checks, and define acceptance evidence before release. Feed every confirmed occurrence back into the requirements, design review, and coding rules so the same root cause is removed across the product rather than patched in one location.

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

Triage CWE-824 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-824, Access of Uninitialized Pointer, 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-824

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-824, Access of Uninitialized Pointer. 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-824 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-824, Access of Uninitialized Pointer. 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-824: Access of Uninitialized Pointer?+

CWE-824: Access of Uninitialized Pointer is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product accesses or uses a pointer that has not been initialized. If the pointer contains an uninitialized value, then the value might not point to a valid memory location. This could cause the product to read from or write to unexpected memory locations, leading to a denial of service. If the uninitialized pointer is used as a function call, then arbitrary functions could be invoked. If an attacker can influence the portion of uninitialized memory that is contained in the pointer, this weakness could be leveraged to execute code or perform other attacks. Depending on memory layout, associated memory management behaviors, and product operation, the attacker might be able to influence the contents of the uninitialized pointer, thus gaining more fine-grained control of the memory location to be accessed.

What are the security consequences of Access of Uninitialized Pointer?+

If exploited, CWE-824 (Access of Uninitialized Pointer) it can compromise Confidentiality, Availability and Integrity, leading to outcomes such as Read Memory, DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart and Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands.

Which programming languages are affected by Access of Uninitialized Pointer?+

CWE-824 commonly affects C, C++ and Memory-Unsafe. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.

What are real-world examples of Access of Uninitialized Pointer?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-824, including CVE-2024-32878, CVE-2019-3836, CVE-2018-14641, CVE-2010-0211 and CVE-2009-2768. 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-824 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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