OVAL Language > About > Changes That Break Backward Compatibility

Changes That Break Backward Compatibility

The "Exceptions Clause" in the OVAL Language Versioning Methodology allows for changes in minor version releases that break backward compatibility in order to fix critical defects. This page lists by release version those changes that break backward compatibility with previous versions of the OVAL Language. View the tracker items for more detailed information.

OVAL 5.10

  • Changed the datatype of the user_id entity, in the linux-def:iflisteners_test, from "string" to "int". View this tracker item.
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OVAL 5.9

  • The macos-def:pwpolicy_test was reverted to its pre-OVAL 5.7 state. A new macos-def:pwpolicy59_test was also introduced to capture the changes introduced in OVAL 5.7. View this tracker item.
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OVAL 5.8

  • Several OVAL Objects contained a defect that allowed for them to be instantiated without specifying either the set construct or the required entities. This was fixed in OVAL 5.8 so that either the set construct or the required entities must be specified. View this tracker item.
  • Changed the maxOccurs property, for the max_uses entity in the win-def:sharedresource_item, from "unbounded" to "1". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the maxOccurs property, for the current_uses entity in the win-def:sharedresource_item, from "unbounded" to "1". View this tracker item.
  • Restricted the shared_type entity, in the win-sc:sharedresource_item, to an enumeration of values instead of any string value. View this tracker item.
  • Changed the maxOccurs property, for the value entity in the ind-def:ldap_state, from "unbounded" to "1". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the datatype of the group_id, user_id, a_time, c_time, and m_time entities, in the unix-def:file_test, from "string" to "int". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the datatype of the user_id and group_id entities, in the unix-def:password_test, from "string" to "int". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the datatype of the user_id, priority, and ruid entities, in the unix-def:process_test, from "string" to "int". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the datatype of the chg_lst, chg_allow, chg_req, exp_warn, exp_inact, and exp_date entities, in the unix-def:shadow_test, from "string" to "int". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the datatype of the local_port, foreign_port, and user_id entities, in the unix-def:inetlisteningserver_test, from "string" to "int". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the datatype of the port entity, in the unix-def:xinetd_test, from "string" to "int". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the swtich_series entity to switch_series in the catos-def:version55_state. View this tracker item.
  • Changed the datatype of the patch_number entity, in the esx-def:patch_test, from "int" to "string". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the datatype of the module_name and module_type entities, in the unix-def:sccs_item, from "int" to "string". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the datatype of the pix_major_release entity, in the pixos-def:version_test, from "string" to "version". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the patch_number entity to patch_base in the hpux-sc:patch_item. View this tracker item.
  • Changed the maxOccurs property, for the deletelistitems entity, in the sp-def:spwebapplication_state, from "unbounded" to "1". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the maxOccurs property, for the deleteversions entity, in the sp-def:spwebapplication_state, from "unbounded" to "1". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the maxOccurs property, for the editlistitems entity, in the sp-def:spwebapplication_state, from "unbounded" to "1". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the maxOccurs property, for the open entity, in the sp-def:spwebapplication_state, from "unbounded" to "1". View this tracker item.
  • Changed the maxOccurs property, for the userremoteapi entity, in the sp-def:spwebapplication_state, from "unbounded" to "1". View this tracker item.
  • Modified the sp-def:sppolicy_object so that it can no longer be instantiated with both the set construct and the urlzone entity. View this tracker item.
  • Fixed all occurrences where the default value of the max_depth behavior was incorrectly set in the independent-definitions-schema. The default value was changed from "1" to "-1". View this tracker item.
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OVAL 5.7

  • Incorrectly added the target_user entity to the macos-def:pwpolicy_object. A new pwpolicy57_test should have been created. View this tracker item.
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Earlier Versions

Information will be added for Version 5.6 and earlier at a later time. Please contact oval@mitre.org with any comments or concerns.

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Page Last Updated: April 28, 2015