Integer Overflow and Representation¶

Fixed-size integers have maximum values; overflow behavior (wraparound, saturation, or exception) varies by context. Overflow bugs are among the most common security vulnerabilities.

Tension Addressed¶

Precision vs. Performance

Recognizable As¶

Buffer size calculations, loop counter bugs, signed/unsigned mismatches, year 2038 problem, billion-dollar bugs from overflow.

Canonical Sources¶

Seacord, Secure Coding in C and C++; CERT C Secure Coding Standard

Transfers To¶

Security, embedded systems, financial systems, any system handling large counts or sizes

Integer overflow has caused rocket failures, security breaches, and financial errors. The constraint is fundamental: finite bits cannot represent infinite integers. Every programming environment makes trade-offs in handling this.