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Bug #34931 Problem maintaining membeprivacy while returning private member array variable.
Submitted: 2005-10-20 15:21 UTC Modified: 2005-10-21 16:11 UTC
Votes:1
Avg. Score:5.0 ± 0.0
Reproduced:1 of 1 (100.0%)
Same Version:1 (100.0%)
Same OS:1 (100.0%)
From: feralcab at gmail dot com Assigned:
Status: Not a bug Package: Arrays related
PHP Version: 5.0.5 OS: FreeBSD 5.4
Private report: No CVE-ID: None
 [2005-10-20 15:21 UTC] feralcab at gmail dot com
Description:
------------
When an object contains an array of other objects 
as a private member variable, if the array is 
returned through a member method, instead of a 
copy a reference to the private array is returned. 
Through this reference the member variable can be
modified outside of the object's scope. Thus, violating the private member variable state.

Reproduce code:
---------------
class Atom {
  private $x = 0;  
  public function __construct($x) {$this->x = $x;}
  public function setX($x)        {$this->x = $x;} 
}
class Element {
  private $atoms = array();  
  public function __construct($NMAX) {
    for ($i=0; $i<$NMAX; ++$i) 
      $this->atoms[] = new Atom($i);
  }
  public function setAtoms($atoms) {$this->atoms = $atoms;}
  public function getAtoms()       {return $this->atoms;} 
}
$element = new Element(3); 
$v = $element->getAtoms(); print_r($v); 
$v[0]->setX(79);           print_r($v);
$w = $element->getAtoms(); print_r($w);

Expected result:
----------------
Array
(
    [0] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 0
        )

    [1] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 1
        )

    [2] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 2
        )

)
Array
(
    [0] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 79
        )

    [1] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 1
        )

    [2] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 2
        )

)
Array
(
    [0] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 0
        )

    [1] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 1
        )

    [2] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 2
        )

)


Actual result:
--------------
Array
(
    [0] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 0
        )

    [1] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 1
        )

    [2] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 2
        )

)
Array
(
    [0] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 79
        )

    [1] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 1
        )

    [2] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 2
        )

)
Array
(
    [0] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 79
        )

    [1] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 1
        )

    [2] => Atom Object
        (
            [x:private] => 2
        )

)

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 [2005-10-20 15:29 UTC] tony2001@php.net
Yes, objects are always references in PHP5.
http://www.php.net/manual/en/migration5.oop.php
 [2005-10-20 16:50 UTC] feralcab at gmail dot com
I see, but shouldn't PHP be smart
enough to know that when it returns an object's reference
which belongs to another object as a private data member, 
the data referenced should not be tampered with from outside the owner's scope? Thank you for your time.
 [2005-10-21 12:07 UTC] feralcab at gmail dot com
no comment
 [2005-10-21 12:16 UTC] tony2001@php.net
Thank you for taking the time to write to us, but this is not
a bug. Please double-check the documentation available at
http://www.php.net/manual/ and the instructions on how to report
a bug at http://bugs.php.net/how-to-report.php

Did you read my answer?
 [2005-10-21 16:11 UTC] feralcab at gmail dot com
Hi again, yes I read the link that you pointed out, and I understand now that it is a design choice. I also read the http://bugs.php.net/how-to-report.php site before reporting what I thought was a bug, when in fact it is expected behavior. I just came to think seeing how most (if not all) C++ compilers along with Java run-time envs behave, that an object's private data members, whether accessed by value or reference should only be accessible within the object's scope. Thanks for your time.
 
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