What are security issues in the C language?

Even though the C language is widely used in different systems still it has many security flaws associated with it. This article focuses on discussing security vulnerabilities in the C language. Mainly these security issues are related to vulnerable library functions, No bound checking for array and Pointers

C language is susceptible to buffer overflows, null pointer dereferences, and undefined behavior, which can lead to security vulnerabilities if not handled carefully. Manual memory management in C also increases the risk of memory-related issues like memory leaks and dangling pointers. Additionally, C's lack of built-in bounds checking can make it prone to buffer overflows, allowing attackers to overwrite data and execute arbitrary code.

The C language poses several security issues due to its low-level nature and minimal built-in safeguards. One significant concern is buffer overflow, where writing beyond the allocated memory space can lead to unpredictable behavior or even allow attackers to execute arbitrary code. Another issue is pointer manipulation, which can result in memory corruption or unauthorized access to sensitive data. Additionally, C lacks built-in bounds checking, making it prone to array out-of-bounds accesses. The absence of automatic memory management can lead to memory leaks and dangling pointers, potentially causing crashes or vulnerabilities. Furthermore, C's type system is not as strict as in other languages, enabling type confusion and related exploits. Finally, the reliance on manual memory management increases the risk of memory-related vulnerabilities such as use-after-free and double-free bugs.

The C programming language is susceptible to various security issues due to its low-level nature and lack of built-in safety features. One significant concern is buffer overflow, where writing more data to a buffer than it can hold can lead to overwriting adjacent memory, potentially causing unintended behavior or security vulnerabilities. This kind of vulnerability is often exploited by attackers to inject malicious code into a program, compromising its integrity.

Another security issue is the absence of automatic bounds checking in C, making it prone to array out-of-bounds errors. Without proper validation, accessing or modifying memory beyond the boundaries of an array can result in unpredictable behavior, crashes, or security vulnerabilities. Developers need to be vigilant in manually managing memory and validating input to mitigate these risks, but human errors in such tasks can lead to vulnerabilities, making secure programming practices crucial when working with C.