CWE-1086 - Class with Excessive Number of Child Classes
- Abstraction:Base
- Structure:Simple
- Status:Incomplete
- Release Date:2019-01-03
- Latest Modification Date:2025-12-11
Weakness Name
Class with Excessive Number of Child Classes
Description
A class contains an unnecessarily large number of children.
While the interpretation of "large number of children" may vary for each product or developer, CISQ recommends a default maximum of 10 child classes.
Common Consequences
Scope: Other
Impact: Reduce Maintainability, Increase Analytical Complexity
Notes: This issue makes it more difficult to understand and maintain the software, which indirectly affects security by making it more difficult or time-consuming to find and/or fix vulnerabilities. It also might make it easier to introduce vulnerabilities.