github / github/codeql

FP in UseAfterFree with reallocating data structures

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C++ false-positive
Dominant language
CodeQL
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Description

**Description of the false positive**

UseAfterFree.ql raises a false positive when run on a data structure with reallocated internal storage. I've observed with in several different data structure implementations, but the example below triggers the FP.

```cpp
typedef unsigned long long size_t;

template class Foo {
public:
Foo(void): capacity(0), size(0), items(nullptr) {}

~Foo(void) { Clear(); }

void Clear(void) {
if (items != nullptr) {
delete[] items;
items = nullptr;
size = 0;
capacity = 0;
}
}

T *Set(size_t index, T *item) {
if (index >= capacity) {
size_t new_capacity = capacity == 0 ? 4 : capacity;
while (index >= new_capacity) {
new_capacity *= 2;
}
T **new_items = new T *[new_capacity];
for (size_t i = 0; i < size; i++) {
new_items[i] = items[i];
}
if (items != nullptr) {
delete[] items;
}
items = new_items;
capacity = new_capacity;
}

if (index >= size) {
for (size_t i = size; i < index; i++) {
items[i] = nullptr;
}
size = index + 1;
}

items[index] = item;
return item;
}

T *Insert(size_t index, T *item) {
for (size_t i = index; i < size; i++) {
if (Set(i + 1, Get(i))) {
return nullptr;
}
}
return Set(index, item);
}

T *Get(size_t index) {
if (size <= index) {
return nullptr;
}
return items[index];
}

protected:
size_t capacity;
size_t size;
T **items;
};

int main() {
Foo foo;
foo.Set(1024, new size_t(44));
foo.Clear();
foo.Insert(1025, new size_t(46));
foo.Get(1025);
return 0;
}
```

To save anyone else the effort, this does not actually have a UAF exercised according to ASAN :)

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