The CERT C++ Coding Standard was developed specifically for versions of the C++ programming language defined by the following:
- ISO/IEC 14882-2014, Programming Languages — CLanguages—C++, Fourth Edition, 2014 [ISO/IEC 14882-2014]
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Most guidelines have a noncompliant code example that is a C++14-conforming program to ensure that the problem identified by the guideline is within the scope of the standard. However, the best solutions to secure coding problems are often platform specific. In many cases, this standard provides appropriate compliant solutions for both POSIX and Windows operating systems. Most guidelines also include a compliant solution that applies to multiple platforms. Language and library extensions that have been published as ISO/IEC technical reports or technical specifications are frequently given precedence. In many cases, compliant solutions are also provided for specific platforms such as Linux or OpenBSD. Occasionally, interesting or illustrative implementation-specific behaviors are described.
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The C++ Standard documents existing practice where possible. That is, most features must be tested in an implementation before being included in the standard. The CERT C++ Coding Standard has a different secondary purpose: to establish a set of best practices, which sometimes requires introducing new practices that may not be widely known or used when existing practices are inadequate. To put it a different way, the CERT C++ Coding Standard attempts to drive change rather than just document it.
Some vendors have extensions to C++, and some also have implemented only part of the C++ Standard before stopping development. Consequently, it is not possible to back up and discuss only C++98, C++03, or C++11. The vendor support equation is too complicated to draw a line and say that a certain compiler supports exactly a certain standard. Whatever demarcation point is selected, different vendors are on opposite sides of it for different parts of the language. Supporting all possibilities would require testing the cross-product of each compiler with each language feature. Consequently, we have selected a demarcation point that is the most recent in time so that the rules and recommendations defined by the standard will be applicable for as long as possible. As a result of the variations in support, source-code portability is enhanced when the programmer uses only the features specified by C++14. This is one of many trade-offs between security and portability inherent to C++ language programming.
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In general, the CERT coding standards try to avoid the inclusion of controversial rules that lack a broad consensus.