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This noncompliant code example demonstrates how dead code can be introduced into a program [Fortify 2006]. The second conditional statement, if (s), will never evaluate true because it requires that s not be assigned NULL, and the only path where s can be assigned a non-NULL value ends with a return statement.

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MSC07-EX1 MSC07-EX1

MSC07-EX1: In some situations, seemingly dead code may make software resilient. An example is the default label in a switch statement whose controlling expression has an enumerated type and that specifies labels for all enumerations of the type. (See MSC01-C. Strive for logical completeness.) Because valid values of an enumerated type include all those of its underlying integer type, unless enumeration constants are provided for all those values, the default label is appropriate and necessary.

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MSC07-EX2 MSC07-EX2

MSC07-EX2: It is also permissible to temporarily remove code that may be needed later. (See MSC04-C. Use comments consistently and in a readable fashion for an illustration.)

Risk Assessment

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CERT C++ Secure Coding Standard: MSC07-CPP. Detect and remove dead code

ISO/IEC TR 24772 "BRS Leveraging human experience," "BVQ Unspecified functionality," and "XYQ Dead and deactivated code"

MISRA Rule 2.4

MITRE CWE: CWE-561, "Dead code"

Sources

[Fortify 2006] Code Quality, "Dead code"

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