CON32-C. Prevent data races when adjacent data must be accessed by multiple threads

When multiple threads must access or make modifications to a common variable, they may also inadvertently access other variables in adjacent memory. This is an artifact of variables being stored compactly, with one byte possibly holding multiple variables, and is a common optimization on word-addressed machines. Bit-fields are especially prone to this behavior because compilers are allowed to store multiple bit-fields in one addressable byte or word. Consequently, data races may exist not just on a variable accessed by multiple threads but also on other variables sharing the same byte or word address.

One tool for preventing data races in concurrent programming is the mutex. When properly observed by all threads, a mutex can provide safe and secure access to a common variable. However, it guarantees nothing with regard to other variables that might be accessed when the mutex is not controlled by the accessing thread.

Unfortunately, there is no portable way to determine which adjacent variables may be stored along with a certain variable.

Another approach is to embed a concurrently accessed variable inside a union, along with a long variable, or at least some padding to ensure that the concurrent variable is the only element to be accessed at that address. This technique would effectively guarantee that no other variables are accessed or modified when the concurrent variable is accessed or modified.

Noncompliant Code Example (C99)

In this noncompliant code example, two threads simultaneously modify two distinct members of a struct.

struct multi_threaded_flags {
  unsigned char flag1;
  unsigned char flag2;
};
 
struct multi_threaded_flags flags;
 
void thread1(void) {
  flags.flag1 = 1;
}

void thread2(void) {
  flags.flag2 = 2;
}

Although this code appears to be harmless, it is possible that flag1 and flag2 are stored in the same word. If both assignments occur on a thread-scheduling interleaving that ends with both stores occurring after one another, it is possible that only one of the flags will be set as intended, and the other flag will equal its previous value, because both chars are represented by the same word, which is the smallest unit the processor can work on. C99 makes no guarantees that these flags can be modified concurrently.

Even though each thread is modifying a separate object, they may be modifying the same word in memory. A similar problem is discussed in CON00-C. Avoid race conditions with multiple threads, but this example can be harder to diagnose because it is not immediately obvious that the same memory location is being modified.

Compliant Solution (C11)

The same code is compliant when run on a C11-compliant platform. Unlike C99, C11 explicitly defines a memory location, and provides the following note, in chapter 3, section 14.2:

NOTE 1 Two threads of execution can update and access separate memory locations without interfering with each other.

Noncompliant Code Example (Bit-field)

Adjacent bit-fields may be stored in a single memory location, and therefore modifying adjacent bit-fields in different threads is undefined behavior, even in C11.

struct multi_threaded_flags {
  unsigned int flag1 : 2;
  unsigned int flag2 : 2;
};

struct multi_threaded_flags flags;

void thread1(void) {
  flags.flag1 = 1;
}

void thread2(void) {
  flags.flag2 = 2;
}

C11, chapter 3, section 14.3 states:

NOTE 2 A bit-field and an adjacent non-bit-field member are in separate memory locations. The same applies to two bit-fields, if one is declared inside a nested structure declaration and the other is not, or if the two are separated by a zero-length bit-field declaration, or if they are separated by a non-bit-field member declaration. It is not safe to concurrently update two non-atomic bit-fields in the same structure if all members declared between them are also (non-zero-length) bit-fields, no matter what the sizes of those intervening bit-fields happen to be.

For example, the following sequence of events can occur:

Thread 1: register 0 = flags
Thread 1: register 0 &= ~mask(flag1)
Thread 2: register 0 = flags
Thread 2: register 0 &= ~mask(flag2)
Thread 1: register 0 |= 1 << shift(flag1)
Thread 1: flags = register 0
Thread 2: register 0 |= 2 << shift(flag2)
Thread 2: flags = register 0

Compliant Solution (Bit-field)

This compliant solution protects all accesses of the flags with a mutex, thereby preventing any data races.  Finally, the flags are embedded in a union alongside a long, and a static assertion guarantees that the flags do not occupy more space than the long. This technique prevents any data not checked by the mutex from being accessed or modified with the bit-fields on platforms that do not comply with C11.

struct multi_threaded_flags {
  unsigned int flag1 : 2;
  unsigned int flag2 : 2;
};

union mtf_protect {
  struct multi_threaded_flags s;
  long padding;
};

static_assert(sizeof(long) >= sizeof(struct multi_threaded_flags));

struct mtf_mutex {
  union mtf_protect u;
  mtx_t mutex;
};

struct mtf_mutex flags;

void thread1(void) {
  int result;
  if ((result = mtx_lock(&flags.mutex)) == thrd_error) {
    /* Handle error */
  }
  flags.u.s.flag1 = 1;
  if ((result = mtx_unlock(&flags.mutex)) == thrd_error) {
    /* Handle error */
  }
}

void thread2(void) {
  int result;
  if ((result = mtx_lock(&flags.mutex)) == thrd_error) {
    /* Handle error */
  }
  flags.u.s.flag2 = 2;
  if ((result = mtx_unlock(&flags.mutex)) == thrd_error) {
    /* Handle error */
  }
}

Static assertions are discussed in detail in DCL03-C. Use a static assertion to test the value of a constant expression.

Risk Assessment

Although the race window is narrow, having an assignment or an expression evaluate improperly because of misinterpreted data can result in a corrupted running state or unintended information disclosure.

Automated Detection

Related Vulnerabilities

Search for vulnerabilities resulting from the violation of this rule on the CERT website.

Related Guidelines

ISO/IEC 9899:2011 Section 6.7.2.1, "Structure and union specifiers",  Section 3.14, "Memory Location"