http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=52923
Richard Guenther <rguenth at gcc dot gnu.org> changed: What |Removed |Added ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Keywords| |diagnostic Status|UNCONFIRMED |NEW Last reconfirmed| |2012-04-10 Ever Confirmed|0 |1 --- Comment #3 from Richard Guenther <rguenth at gcc dot gnu.org> 2012-04-10 12:33:38 UTC --- We lack a must points-to analysis pass. But it's questionable to warn for void* test_alloc_struct_ptr_to_stack_mem(void) { int a[100]; struct test* t = (struct test*)malloc(sizeof(struct test)); // GIVE WARNING? // "function returns with reference to local variable?" t->ptr = a; return t; } as you have no idea whether t is actually dereferenced in the caller. void* test_alloc_struct_on_stack_mem(void) { struct test* t = (struct test*)alloca(sizeof(struct test)); t->ptr = NULL; // GIVE WARNING? // "function returns allocation from stack memory?" return t; } for this I'd say yes, warn. Similar for returning a pointer that was free()d.