Horror Code #2: The Memory Leak Massacre

 

Horror Code #2: The Memory Leak Massacre

Welcome back to Horror Code, where we uncover the most atrocious, cringe-inducing, logic-defying disasters in programming. Today, we descend into the dark, unforgiving depths of C—where memory leaks lurk in the shadows, waiting to consume all available RAM while developers sob into their keyboards.

Prepare yourself for… The Memory Leak Massacre.

The Crime Scene: A C Program That Hoards Memory Like a Dragon

Behold, a C program so catastrophically flawed that even your OS might not forgive you.

C

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

// 🚨 Function that leaks memory with every call
void memory_leak() {
    int *ptr = malloc(sizeof(int) * 1000);  // ❌ Allocating memory, never freeing it!
    for (int i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
        ptr[i] = i;  // ✅ Storing values, but... who cares? We’ll never free this!
    }
    // ❌ No free(ptr)! The memory is lost FOREVER.
}

int main() {
    while (1) {  // 🚨 Infinite loop means unlimited memory leaks!
        memory_leak();  // ❌ Keeps allocating without freeing, RAM will disappear before your eyes
    }
    return 0;
}

What’s Wrong With This Code?

Memory Allocation Without Freeing

• malloc(sizeof(int) * 1000) reserves memory for 1000 integers.
• But there’s no free(ptr);—so every call to memory_leak() eats up more RAM.
• Your system will run out of memory. Fast.

Infinite Loop = Infinite Damage

• while (1) means this function runs forever.
• Each iteration allocates another 4 KB of memory that will never be freed.
• Before long, your system slows, freezes, or crashes. Congratulations, you just created a self-inflicted denial-of-service attack.

Pointless Data Storage

• The loop for (int i = 0; i < 1000; i++) assigns values…
• …but we never actually use ptr for anything meaningful.
• The program could be leaking memory at an even larger scale, but instead, it’s just wasting space.

No Exit Strategy

• There’s no break condition—this code will run until the machine collapses.
• The only way out is a forced termination (kill -9, CTRL+C, or a system reboot).

The Redemption Arc: Fixing the Nightmare

Let’s exorcise this demon. The correct way to handle this would be:

C

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

void memory_properly_managed() {
    int *ptr = malloc(sizeof(int) * 1000);  // ✅ Allocating memory
    if (ptr == NULL) {
        fprintf(stderr, "Memory allocation failed!\n");
        exit(1);
    }
    for (int i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
        ptr[i] = i;
    }
    free(ptr);  // ✅ Releasing allocated memory
}

int main() {
    for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {  // ✅ Limited loop, won’t crash system
        memory_properly_managed();
    }
    return 0;
}

Key Fixes

• ✅ free(ptr); – The most important fix: cleaning up allocated memory.
• ✅ if (ptr == NULL) check – Prevents running if memory allocation fails.
• ✅ Limited loop – Prevents infinite memory consumption.
• ✅ Proper error handling – If malloc fails, the program gracefully exits instead of creating undefined behavior.

And just like that, the Memory Leak Massacre is no more. But don’t get too comfortable—C has plenty of other horrors lurking… 💀

Final Thoughts: What We Learned in the Valley of the Memory Leaks

C gives developers a lot of power, but with great power comes… catastrophic mistakes. Memory management isn’t optional—it’s survival. If you don’t clean up after yourself, your program WILL eat all available RAM and eventually crash your system.

🔪 Stay tuned for the next coding crime scene—who knows what kind of logic atrocity we’ll uncover next? Have your own horror code? Send it in, and we’ll roast it in a future post! 🔥

👀 Until next time… beware of pointers that never let go.

Image: Gemini