openssl/project

Convert malloc + manual string building as appropriate to asprintf

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#1,917 opened on Mar 30, 2026

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good first issue

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Description

Sweep the tree for patterns where strings are built by making an allocation and concatenating strings and other things together to a single asprintf call with appropriate error checking.

Ensure that in the case of string truncation that either an error ensues, or, that the truncated value is actually safe.

Contributor guide

Research direction
Search the codebase for patterns where strings are built using malloc and manual concatenation, then replace them with a single asprintf call with proper error handling. Ensure that truncation cases are handled safely.
Tech stack
c
Domain
backend
Issue type
Refactor
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
Casprintf
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
40