# `invalid flag in #cgo CFLAGS`

This page describes the background for build errors like `invalid flag in #cgo CFLAGS` and what you can do about them.

[CVE-2018-6574](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-6574) described a potential security violation in the go tool: running `go get` downloads and builds Go code from the Internet, Go code that uses cgo can specify options to pass to the compiler, so careful use of `-fplugin` can cause `go get` to execute arbitrary code.  While it is difficult to block every possible way that the compiler might be attacked, we have chosen to block the obvious ones.

As described at [issue 23672](https://go.dev/issue/23672), this is done by using a safelist of compiler/linker options that are permitted during `go get`, `go build`, and friends.  When cgo code tries to use to pass an option that is not on the safelist, the go tool will report an error `invalid flag in #cgo CFLAGS` (or `#cgo LDFLAGS`, `pkg-config --cflags`, `pkg-config --ldflags`, and so forth).

This safelist is new in releases 1.8.7, 1.9.4, and 1.10, and all subsequent releases.

## What can I do?

If this happens to you, and the option is benign, you should do two things:
1. Set the environment variable `CGO_CFLAGS_ALLOW` (or `CGO_LDFLAGS_ALLOW`, `CGO_CXXFLAGS_ALLOW`, and so forth) to a [regexp](https://pkg.go.dev/regexp/) that matches the option.
2. [File a bug](https://go.dev/issue/new) requesting that the option be added to the safelist.  Be sure to include the complete error message and, if possible, a description of the code you are building.

## Why not use an unsafe list?

Because if some new unsafe option is added to a compiler, all existing Go releases will become immediately vulnerable.

## Why not get a complete list of compiler options and safelist all of them?

Because there are hundreds of options, and there is no clear way to get a complete list.  Many compiler and linker options are target dependent, and thus only reported on specific platforms or in specific configurations.  The documentation is known to be incomplete.