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Warning C28719

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Banned API Usage: function-name is insecure and has been marked deprecated.

This warning indicates that a function is being used that has been banned and has a more robust or secure replacement.

Remarks

A list of all banned functions covered by this error, why they are banned, and recommended replacements can be found after the following example.

Code analysis name: BANNED_API_USAGE

Example

The following code generates this warning:

void example_func(PSTR src) 
{ 
    char dst[100]; 
    strcpy(dst, src);
}

This issue stems from the use of the unsafe function strcpy. strcpy does not check if the destination buffer is large enough to fit the source data.

To fix this issue, we can use strcpy_s, C++11’s safer replacement to this function. strcpy_s has a third parameter (the size of the destination buffer) to ensure only that many bytes are copied. For example, the following code is safer:

void example_func(PSTR src) 
{ 
    char dst[100]; 
    strcpy_s(dst, sizeof(dst), src); 
}

Banned Functions

NOTE: This list is actively being updated and improved

Banned API Replacement(s) Rationale / Notes
_fstrcat StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx Legacy 16-bit far pointer implementation
_fstrcpy StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx Legacy 16-bit far pointer implementation
_fstrncat StringCbCatN, StringCbCatNEx, StringCchCatN, StringCchCatNEx Legacy 16-bit far pointer implementation
_fstrncpy strncpy, wcsncpy Legacy 16-bit far pointer implementation
_ftccat strcat, wcscat Legacy 16-bit far pointer implementation
_ftccpy strcpy, wcscpy Legacy 16-bit far pointer implementation
_ftcscat strcat, wcscat Legacy 16-bit far pointer implementation
_ftcscpy strcpy, wcscpy Legacy 16-bit far pointer implementation
_getts StringCbGets, StringCbGetsEx, StringCchGets, StringCchGetsEx, gets_s No size limit on data
_gettws gets_s No size limit on data
_getws _getws_s No size limit on data
_mbccat strcat_s, StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx, strlcat No size limit on data
_makepath _makepath_s No size limit on data
_mbscat _mbscat_s
_snprintf _snprintf_s Does not NULL-terminate
_sntprintf StringCbPrintf, StringCbPrintf_l, StringCbPrintf_lEx, StringCbPrintfEx, StringCchPrintf, StringCchPrintfEx Does not NULL-terminate
_sntscanf _snscanf_s No maximum length
_snwprintf _snwprintf_s, StringCbPrintf, StringCbPrintf_l, StringCbPrintf_lEx, StringCbPrintfEx, StringCchPrintf, StringCchPrintfEx Does not NULL-terminate
_splitpath _splitpath_s No bounds checking
_stprintf StringCbPrintf, StringCbPrintf_l, StringCbPrintf_lEx, StringCbPrintfEx, StringCchPrintf, StringCchPrintfEx Limited error detection
_stscanf sscanf_s (requires format string changes) No bounds checking
_tccat strcat_s, StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx, strlcat No bounds checking
_tccpy strcpy_s, StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx, strlcpy No bounds checking
_tcscat StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx Limited error detection
_tcscpy StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx Limited error detection
_tcsncat StringCbLength, StringCchLength, UnalignedStringCbLength, UnalignedStringCchLength No maximum length
_tcsncpy StringCbCopyN, StringCbCopyNEx, StringCchCopyN, StringCchCopyNEx Limited error detection
_tmakepath _makepath_s No bounds checking
_tscanf scanf_s No bounds checking for outputs
_tsplitpath splitpath_s, wsplitpath_s No bounds checking
_vsnprintf _vsnprintf_s, StringCchVPrintf, StringCchVPrintf_l, StringCchVPrintf_lEx, StringCchVPrintfEx Limited error detection
_vsntprintf StringCbVPrintf, StringCbVPrintf_l, StringCbVPrintf_lEx, StringCbVPrintfEx, StringCchVPrintf, StringCchVPrintf_l, StringCchVPrintf_lEx, StringCchVPrintfEx Limited error detection
_vsnwprintf _vsnwprintf_s, StringCbVPrintf, StringCbVPrintf_l, StringCbVPrintf_lEx, StringCbVPrintfEx Limited error detection
_vstprintf StringCbVPrintf, StringCbVPrintf_l, StringCbVPrintf_lEx, StringCbVPrinfEx, StringCchVPrintf, StringCchVPrintf_l, StringCchVPrintf_lEx, StringCchVPrintfEx No maximum length
_wmakepath _wmakepath_s No bounds checking
_wsplitpath _wsplitpath_s No bounds checking
OemToCharW WideCharToMultiByte No bounds checking
StrCat StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx Limited error detection
StrCatA StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx Limited error detection
StrCatBuff StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx No NULL-termination
StrCatBuffA StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx No NULL-termination
StrCatBuffW StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx No NULL-termination
StrCatChainW StringCbCatEx, StringCbCatNEx, StringCchCatEx, StringCchCatNEx No NULL-termination
StrCatN StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCbCatN, StringCbCatNEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx, StringCchCatN, StringCchCatNEx No bounds checking
StrCatNA StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCbCatN, StringCbCatNEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx, StringCchCatN, StringCchCatNEx No bounds checking
StrCatNW StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCbCatN, StringCbCatNEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx, StringCchCatN, StringCchCatNEx No bounds checking
StrCatW StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCbCatN, StringCbCatNEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx, StringCchCatN, StringCchCatNEx No bounds checking
StrCpy StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx No bounds checking
StrCpyA StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx No bounds checking
StrCpyN StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx Does not NULL-terminate
StrCpyNA StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx Does not NULL-terminate
StrCpyNW StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx Limited error checking
strcpyW StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx No bounds checking
StrCpyW StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx No bounds checking
StrNCat StringCbCatN, StringCbCatNEx, StringCchCatN, StringCchCatNEx Limited error detection
StrNCatA StringCbCatN, StringCbCatNEx, StringCchCatN, StringCchCatNEx Limited error detection
StrNCatW StringCbCatN, StringCbCatNEx, StringCchCatN, StringCchCatNEx Limited error detection
StrNCpy StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx Does not NULL-terminate
StrNCpyA StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx Does not NULL-terminate
StrNCpyW StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx Does not NULL-terminate
gets gets_s, fgets, StringCbGets, StringCbGetsEx, StringCchGets, StringCchGetsEx Limited error detection; deprecated by C11 standard
lstrcat StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx Limited error detection
lstrcatA StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx Limited error detection
lstrcatn StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx Limited error detection
lstrcatnA StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx Limited error detection
lstrcatnW StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx Limited error detection
lstrcatW StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx Limited error detection
lstrcpy StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx No bounds checking
lstrcpyA StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx No bounds checking
lstrcpyn StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx Limited error detection
lstrcpynA StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx Limited error detection
lstrcpynW StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx No bounds checking
lstrcpyW StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx No bounds checking
snscanf sscanf_s No bounds checking
snwscanf swscanf_s No bounds checking
sprintf sprintf_s Limited error detection
sprintfA sprintf_s No bounds checking
sprintfW swprintf_s No bounds checking
lstrncat StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx Limited error detection
makepath
nsprintf sprintf_s No error detection or bounds checking
strcat strcat_s, StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx, strlcat Limited error detection
strcatA strcat_s, StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx, strlcat Limited error detection
strcatW strcat_s, StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx, strlcat Limited error detection
strcpy strcpy_s, StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx, strlcpy No bounds checking
strcpyA strcpy_s, StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx, strlcpy No bounds checking
strncat strncat_s, StringCbCatN, StringCbCatNEx, StringCchCatN, StringCchCatNEx, strlcat Limited error detection
strncpy strncpy_s, StringCbCopyN, StringCbCopyNEx, StringCchCopyN, StringCchCopyNEx, strlcpy Limited error detection
swprintf swprintf_s StringCbPrintf, StringCbPrintf_l, StringCbPrintf_lEx, StringCbPrintf, StringCbPrintfEx Limited error detection
ualstrcpyW strcpy_s, StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx, strlcpy No bounds checking
vsnprintf vsnprintf_s, StringCbVPrintf, StringCbVPrintf_l, StringCbVPrintf_lEx, StringCbVPrintfEx, StringCchVPrintf, StringCchVPrintf_l, StringCchVPrintf_lEx, StringCchVPrintfEx Limited error detection
vsprintf vsprintf_s, StringCbVPrintf, StringCbVPrintf_l, StringCbVPrintf_lEx, StringCbVPrintfEx, StringCchVPrintf, StringCchVPrintf_l, StringCchVPrintf_lEx, StringCchVPrintfEx, vasprintf Limited error detection
vswprintf vswprintf_s
wcscat wcscat_s, StringCbCat, StringCbCatEx, StringCchCat, StringCchCatEx, wcslcat Limited error detection
wcscpy wcscpy_s, StringCbCopy, StringCbCopyEx, StringCchCopy, StringCchCopyEx, wcslcpy No bounds checking
wcsncat wcsncat_s, wcslcat Limited error detection
wcsncpy wcsncpy_s, StringCbCopyN, StringCbCopyNEx, StringCchCopyN, StringCchCopyNEx, wcslcpy Limited error detection
wnsprintf StringCbPrintf, StringCbPrintf_l, StringCbPrintf_lEx, StringCbPrintfEx, StringCchPrintf, StringCchPrintfEx No NULL-termination
wnsprintfA StringCbPrintf, StringCbPrintf_l, StringCbPrintf_lEx, StringCbPrintfEx, StringCchPrintf, StringCchPrintfEx No NULL-termination
wsprintf StringCbPrintf, StringCbPrintf_l, StringCbPrintf_lEx, StringCbPrintfEx, StringCchPrintf, StringCchPrintfEx No NULL-termination
wsprintfA StringCbPrintf, StringCbPrintf_l, StringCbPrintf_lEx, StringCbPrintfEx, StringCchPrintf, StringCchPrintfEx No NULL-termination
wsprintfW StringCbPrintf, StringCbPrintf_l, StringCbPrintf_lEx, StringCbPrintfEx, StringCchPrintf, StringCchPrintfEx No NULL-termination
wvnsprintf StringCbVPrintf, StringCbVPrintf_l, StringCbVPrintf_lEx, StringCbVPrintfEx, StringCchVPrintf, StringCchVPrintf_l, StringCchVPrintf_lEx, StringCchVPrintfEx No NULL-termination
wvnsprintfA StringCbVPrintf, StringCbVPrintf_l, StringCbVPrintf_lEx, StringCbVPrintfEx, StringCchVPrintf, StringCchVPrintf_l, StringCchVPrintf_lEx, StringCchVPrintfEx No NULL-termination
wvnsprintfW StringCbVPrintf, StringCbVPrintf_l, StringCbVPrintf_lEx, StringCbVPrintfEx, StringCchVPrintf, StringCchVPrintf_l, StringCchVPrintf_lEx, StringCchVPrintfEx No NULL-termination
wvsprintf StringCbVPrintf, StringCbVPrintf_l, StringCbVPrintf_lEx, StringCbVPrintfEx, StringCchVPrintf, StringCchVPrintf_l, StringCchVPrintf_lEx, StringCchVPrintfEx No NULL-termination
wvsprintfA StringCbVPrintf, StringCbVPrintf_l, StringCbVPrintf_lEx, StringCbVPrintfEx, StringCchVPrintf, StringCchVPrintf_l, StringCchVPrintf_lEx, StringCchVPrintfEx No NULL-termination
wvsprintfW StringCbVPrintf, StringCbVPrintf_l, StringCbVPrintf_lEx, StringCbVPrintfEx, StringCchVPrintf, StringCchVPrintf_l, StringCchVPrintf_lEx, StringCchVPrintfEx No NULL-termination