VNA01-J. Ensure visibility of shared references to immutable objects

A common misconception is that shared references to immutable objects are visible across multiple threads as soon as they are updated. For example, a developer can mistakenly believe that a class containing fields referring to only immutable objects is immutable and, consequently, thread-safe.

Section 14.10.2, "Final Fields and Security" of Java Programming Language, Fourth Edition states the following [[JPL 06]]:

The problem is that, while the shared object is immutable, the reference used to access the shared object is itself shared and often mutable. Consequently, a correctly synchronized program must synchronize access to that shared reference, but often programs do not do this, because programmers do not recognize the need to do it.

References to both immutable and mutable objects must be made visible to all the threads. Immutable objects can be shared safely among multiple threads. However, mutable objects may not be fully constructed when their references are made visible. [CON28-J. Do not publish partially initialized objects] describes object construction and visibility issues specific to mutable objects.

Noncompliant Code Example

This noncompliant code example consists of an immutable class Helper:

// Immutable Helper
public final class Helper {
  private final int n;

  public Helper(int n) {
    this.n = n;
  }
  // ...
}

and a mutable class Foo:

final class Foo {
  private Helper helper;

  public Helper getHelper() {
    return helper;
  }

  public void setHelper(int num) {
    helper = new Helper(num);
  }
}

The getHelper() method publishes the mutable helper field. Because the Helper class is [immutable], it cannot be changed after it is initialized

. Furthermore, because Helper is immutable, it is always constructed properly before its reference is made visible, in compliance with [CON28-J. Do not publish partially initialized objects]. Unfortunately, a separate thread could observe a stale reference in the helper field of the Foo class.

Compliant Solution (Synchronization)

This compliant solution synchronizes the methods of class Foo to ensure that no thread sees a stale Helper reference.

final class Foo {
  private Helper helper;

  public synchronized Helper getHelper() {
    return helper;
  }

  public synchronized void setHelper(int num) {
    helper = new Helper(num);
  }
}

The immutable Helper class remains unchanged.

Compliant Solution (volatile)

References to immutable member objects can be made visible by declaring them volatile.

final class Foo {
  private volatile Helper helper;

  public Helper getHelper() {
    return helper;
  }

  public void setHelper(int num) {
    helper = new Helper(num);
  }
}

The immutable Helper class remains unchanged.

Compliant Solution (java.util.concurrent Utilities)

This compliant solution wraps the immutable Helper object within an AtomicReference wrapper that can be updated atomically.

final class Foo {
  private final AtomicReference<Helper> helperRef =
    new AtomicReference<Helper>();

  public Helper getHelper() {
    return helperRef.get();
  }

  public void setHelper(int num) {
    helperRef.set(new Helper(num));
  }
}

The immutable Helper class remains unchanged.

Risk Assessment

The assumption that classes containing immutable objects are immutable is misleading and can cause serious thread-safety issues.

Automated Detection

TODO

Related Vulnerabilities

Any vulnerabilities resulting from the violation of this rule are listed on the CERT website.

References

[[API 06]]
[[JPL 06]] Section 14.10.2, "Final Fields and Security"

Issue Tracking

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