The product contains code that is not essential for execution, i.e. makes no state changes and has no side effects that alter data or control flow, such that removal of the code would have no impact to functionality or correctness.

What CVEs are caused by CWE-1164?

1 recorded CVEs are attributed to CWE-1164, including CVE-2025-40769.

How is CWE-1164 detected?

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.)

What are the consequences of CWE-1164?

Exploiting CWE-1164 can lead to: Reduce Reliability, Reduce Performance.

Is CWE-1164 actively exploited?

1 recorded CVEs are caused by CWE-1164; none are currently in CISA's KEV catalog of actively exploited flaws.

CWE-1164: Irrelevant Code

RadicalNotion.AI

Code examples

Illustrative examples from MITRE showing how the weakness appears in code.

The condition for the second if statement is impossible to satisfy. It requires that the variables be non-null. However, on the only path where s can be assigned a non-null value, there is a return statement.

Vulnerable example

cpp

String s = null;

The following code excerpt assigns to the variable r and then overwrites the value without using it.

Vulnerable example

r = getName();

CWE-1164: Irrelevant Code

Overview

Real-world CVEs

Common consequences

How it happens

When it is introduced

How to detect it

Automated Static Analysis

Code examples

Illustrative examples

Frequently asked questions

References

Stay ahead of CWE-1164

Overview

Real-world CVEs

Common consequences

How it happens

When it is introduced

How to detect it

Automated Static Analysis

Code examples

Illustrative examples

Related weaknesses

Parent

Child

Frequently asked questions

References

Stay ahead of CWE-1164