Vulnerabilities
Double Free
Also known as: Double-free vulnerability
Definition
A memory-safety bug where the same heap chunk is freed twice, corrupting allocator metadata and often enabling arbitrary code execution.
Examples
- CVE-2015-1322 — glibc tcache double-free leading to heap corruption.
- CVE-2019-19377 — Linux btrfs double-free triggered by malformed images.
Related terms
Use-After-Free
A memory-safety bug where a program continues to use memory after it has been freed, often allowing attackers to control object state and hijack execution.
Memory Corruption
An umbrella term for vulnerabilities where a program writes outside the bounds of intended memory, undermining type-safety, control flow, or data integrity.
Heap Overflow
A buffer overflow that occurs in dynamically allocated memory, often corrupting allocator metadata, function pointers, or object virtual tables.
Exploit
A piece of code, data, or technique that takes advantage of a vulnerability to cause unintended behaviour such as code execution, privilege escalation, or information disclosure.
Secure Coding
Secure Coding — definition coming soon.
Vulnerability
A weakness in a system, application, or process that an attacker can exploit to violate confidentiality, integrity, or availability.