Fail Fast Input Validation

Apply a single security rule: validate arity, lengths, ranges, and invariants before using inputs to index arrays, dereference pointers, compute derived pointers, or persist/serialize into security-sensitive targets.

Practical checklist:

• Before argv/key extraction: verify command arity so helpers can’t read argv out of bounds.
• Before pointer math / derived references: assert required preconditions (e.g., “the requested metadata bit is set”) before computing offsets.
• Before dereferencing/freeing-lifetime assumptions: compute any needed properties (e.g., length) before freeing buffers; don’t call methods on freed objects.
• Before persisting user-controlled strings into config/protocol text: either reject dangerous characters (e.g., control chars) or rely on a known escaping layer—don’t do “partial” safety.
• Before auth/security state changes: validate security-sensitive parameters (e.g., password policy/length) and keep logging/redaction rules.

Example (arity defense-in-depth):

// In an ACL permission path that inspects argv for keys/channels
if (!commandCheckArity(cmd, argc, NULL)) {
    if (idxptr) *idxptr = 0;
    return ACL_DENIED_CMD;
}

// Also keep boundary checks in shared key-extraction helpers,
// even if callers already validated.

Example (invariant assertion before derived pointer):

serverAssert(metaId < KEY_META_ID_MAX && (bits & (1u << metaId)));

Example (string control-char validation at persistence boundary):

if (sentinelStringContainsControlChars(val->ptr, sdslen(val->ptr))) {
    addReplyError(c, "value must not contain control characters");
    goto bad;
}