Overview
ISO/IEC 24772-1:2024 is an international standard from ISO and IEC addressing the critical need for identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities inherent in programming languages. Titled “Programming languages - Avoiding vulnerabilities in programming languages - Part 1: Language-independent catalogue of vulnerabilities”, this standard provides a comprehensive, language-neutral catalogue of vulnerabilities that may affect the security, safety, and reliability of software systems.
The scope of ISO/IEC 24772-1:2024 includes a detailed enumeration of common programming language vulnerabilities and the description of strategies and practices to avoid them. It is designed for use in the development, review, and maintenance of systems requiring assured behaviour, such as security-critical, safety-critical, mission-critical, and business-critical applications. The standard is applicable to software developed in any programming language, offering universally applicable guidance.
Key Topics
ISO/IEC 24772-1:2024 covers a broad spectrum of language-independent vulnerabilities and highlights mechanisms to mitigate them. Key topics include:
-
Vulnerability Identification
Systematic descriptions of vulnerabilities such as buffer overflows, unchecked array accesses, null pointer dereferences, conversion errors, dead code, and naming issues.
-
Avoidance and Mitigation Techniques
General and specific strategies to avoid or reduce the impact of vulnerabilities, including coding guidelines, static analysis recommendations, and language feature usage.
-
Mechanisms of Failure
Insights into how failures manifest from misused language constructs, unpredictable behaviour, or improper handling of data types and control flows.
-
Applicability across Languages
Vulnerabilities and mitigation strategies are described in a generic way, making them relevant regardless of the programming language or platform in use.
-
Implications for Language Design
Guidance and implications for the evolution of programming languages and recommendations for language designers to reduce inherent risks.
Applications
The practical value of ISO/IEC 24772-1:2024 extends to multiple domains where software reliability and security are paramount.
-
Secure Software Development
Enables software engineers and architects to recognize and mitigate vulnerabilities at all stages of the software development lifecycle, regardless of the chosen programming language.
-
Safety-Related and Mission-Critical Systems
Essential for the development and certification of systems in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, healthcare, and industrial automation.
-
Software Reviews & Audits
Provides a structured framework for code review, static analysis, and auditing processes focused on vulnerability detection and risk mitigation.
-
Training & Best Practices
Serves as reference material for developing organizational coding standards, developer training programs, and fostering a culture of secure programming.
-
Programming Language Design & Evolution
Valuable for language designers and compiler developers aiming to enhance security features and reduce typical pitfalls across existing and new programming languages.
Related Standards
ISO/IEC 24772-1:2024 is part of an evolving family of international standards on programming languages and software quality. Related standards include:
- ISO/IEC 27001 – Information Security Management Systems
- ISO/IEC 12207 – Software Life Cycle Processes
- ISO/IEC 15408 – Common Criteria for IT Security Evaluation
- ISO/IEC 25000 – Systems and Software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE)
- ISO/IEC 24772-2 – Further parts in the 24772 series, potentially covering language-specific vulnerabilities
By adhering to ISO/IEC 24772-1:2024, organizations can strengthen their approach to secure coding, contribute to safer software ecosystems, and align with recognized best practices in software assurance and cybersecurity.