Unsafe C Functions in Binary Libraries: 41 Libraries Affected
Analysis of unsafe C function usage across 373 binary libraries. 41 libraries (11.0%) contain unsafe function calls.
Methodology: Analysis performed using Repobility’s proprietary multi-dimensional scanning engine.
Most Common Unsafe Functions
| Function | Total Calls | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
strcpy |
22 | High |
sprintf |
14 | High |
dlopen |
9 | Low |
strcat |
9 | High |
sscanf |
8 | Low |
strtok |
7 | Low |
realpath |
5 | Low |
fscanf |
3 | Low |
execvp |
2 | Low |
gets |
1 | High |
getwd |
1 | Low |
mktemp |
1 | Low |
popen |
1 | Low |
scanf |
1 | High |
system |
1 | Low |
tempnam |
1 | Low |
tmpnam |
1 | Low |
vsprintf |
1 | High |
Total unsafe function calls: 88
Recommended Replacements
| Unsafe | Safe Alternative |
|---|---|
gets |
fgets |
strcpy |
strlcpy / strncpy |
strcat |
strlcat / strncat |
sprintf |
snprintf |
scanf |
fgets + sscanf with width limits |
Data sourced from Repobility’s continuous code intelligence platform analyzing 128,000+ repositories. Updated May 16, 2026.