CWE-1121 Detail

CWE-1121

Excessive McCabe Cyclomatic Complexity
Incomplete
2019-01-03
00h00 +00:00
2025-12-11
00h00 +00:00
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Name: Excessive McCabe Cyclomatic Complexity

The code contains McCabe cyclomatic complexity that exceeds a desirable maximum.

General Informations

Modes Of Introduction

Implementation

Applicable Platforms

Language

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined)

Common Consequences

Scope Impact Likelihood
OtherReduce Maintainability, Increase Analytical Complexity

Note: This issue makes it more difficult to understand and/or maintain the product, which indirectly affects security by making it more difficult or time-consuming to find and/or fix vulnerabilities. It also might make it easier to introduce vulnerabilities.

Detection Methods

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)
Effectiveness : High

Vulnerability Mapping Notes

Justification : This entry is primarily a quality issue with no direct security implications.
Comment : Look for weaknesses that are focused specifically on insecure behaviors that have more direct security implications.

References

REF-963

Providing a Framework for Effective Software Quality Assessment
Robert A. Martin, Lawrence H. Shafer.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285403022_PROVIDING_A_FRAMEWORK_FOR_EFFECTIVE_SOFTWARE_QUALITY_MEASUREMENT_MAKING_A_SCIENCE_OF_RISK_ASSESSMENT

REF-964

Cyclomatic Complexity
Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclomatic_complexity

REF-960

Automated Source Code Maintainability Measure (ASCMM)
Object Management Group (OMG).
https://www.omg.org/spec/ASCMM/

Submission

Name Organization Date Date release Version
CWE Content Team MITRE 2018-07-02 +00:00 2019-01-03 +00:00 3.2

Modifications

Name Organization Date Comment
CWE Content Team MITRE 2020-02-24 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-01-31 +00:00 updated Description
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-04-27 +00:00 updated References, Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-06-29 +00:00 updated Mapping_Notes
CWE Content Team MITRE 2024-02-29 +00:00 updated Mapping_Notes
CWE Content Team MITRE 2025-12-11 +00:00 updated Applicable_Platforms, Common_Consequences, Description, Detection_Factors, Time_of_Introduction