Information Technology: Programming Languages, Their Environments and System Software Interfaces: Specification for Managed Strings

• SEI Report
In this paper, the authors present a standard specification for managed strings.
Publisher

Software Engineering Institute

Abstract

Many vulnerabilities in C programs arise through the use of the standard C string manipulating functions. String manipulation errors include buffer overflow through string copying, truncation errors, termination errors and improper data sanitization.

Version 1.3, submitted as part of the ISO/IET JTC1 SC22 WG14 N1132, August 2005

Cite This SEI Report

Long, F., & Seacord, R. (2005, August 19). Information Technology: Programming Languages, Their Environments and System Software Interfaces: Specification for Managed Strings. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/information-technology-programming-languages-their-environments-and-system-software-interfaces-specification-for-managed-strings/.

@techreport{long_2005,
author={Long, Fred and Seacord, Robert},
title={Information Technology: Programming Languages, Their Environments and System Software Interfaces: Specification for Managed Strings},
month={Aug},
year={2005},
institution={Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University},
url={https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/information-technology-programming-languages-their-environments-and-system-software-interfaces-specification-for-managed-strings/},
note={Accessed: 2026-Oct-23}
}

Long, Fred, and Robert Seacord. "Information Technology: Programming Languages, Their Environments and System Software Interfaces: Specification for Managed Strings." Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, August 19, 2005. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/information-technology-programming-languages-their-environments-and-system-software-interfaces-specification-for-managed-strings/.

F. Long, and R. Seacord, "Information Technology: Programming Languages, Their Environments and System Software Interfaces: Specification for Managed Strings," Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, 19-Aug-2005 [Online]. Available: https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/information-technology-programming-languages-their-environments-and-system-software-interfaces-specification-for-managed-strings/. [Accessed: 23-Oct-2026].

Long, Fred, and Robert Seacord. "Information Technology: Programming Languages, Their Environments and System Software Interfaces: Specification for Managed Strings." Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, 19 Aug. 2005. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/information-technology-programming-languages-their-environments-and-system-software-interfaces-specification-for-managed-strings/. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

Long, Fred; & Seacord, Robert. Information Technology: Programming Languages, Their Environments and System Software Interfaces: Specification for Managed Strings. Software Engineering Institute. 2005. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/information-technology-programming-languages-their-environments-and-system-software-interfaces-specification-for-managed-strings/