# Detecting Integer Overflow

> Detects integer overflow and underflow vulnerabilities in arithmetic operations used for buffer sizing or allocation. Use when analyzing calculations, size computations, or investigating integer wraparound issues.

- Skill: `aibot88/detecting-integer-overflow` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add aibot88/detecting-integer-overflow`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/aibot88/detecting-integer-overflow/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner FAIL, skillspector CAUTION)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: aibot88 (https://skillmd.com/u/aibot88)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/aibot88/detecting-integer-overflow

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# Integer Overflow Detection

## Detection Workflow

1. **Identify arithmetic operations**: Find addition, multiplication, subtraction, bit shifts on user-controlled values
2. **Check for overflow protection**: Look for overflow checks before arithmetic, safe arithmetic functions, type conversions
3. **Trace to critical uses**: Follow results to memory allocation sizes, buffer copy lengths, loop bounds, array indices
4. **Assess impact**: Can overflow cause buffer overflow? Bypass security checks? Cause logic errors?

## Key Patterns

- Addition/multiplication without overflow checks
- Subtraction that could underflow
- Integer overflow affecting malloc size
- Loop counter overflow

## Output Format

Report with: id, type (addition/multiplication/underflow), severity, confidence, location, operation, operands, result used for, overflow check status, exploitability, impact, mitigation.

## Severity Guidelines

- **HIGH**: Overflow affects memory allocation size
- **MEDIUM**: Overflow affects loop bounds or array indices
- **LOW**: Overflow with limited security impact

## See Also

- `patterns.md` - Detailed detection patterns and exploitation scenarios
- `examples.md` - Example analysis cases and code samples
- `references.md` - CWE references and mitigation strategies