C++ : Tampering with the private class variables

I have lot things to write in C++/OS/Network arena. I don't feel the urge to write unless clarity is gained over the subject. Thanks for waiting! Hopefully, the mute period will be broken and more technical topics in coming days.

From past 3 weeks, I have been intensely pondering on rvalue/lvalue semantics. To large extent I could comprehend as well. In the process of learning, I accidentally wrote below code. Hey! you cannot modify private in C++ but we can trick via pointers. If you argue that C++ have references, take a look at the below code.

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

class PrivateTest
{
    public:
        PrivateTest() = default;
        std::string& getMessage() { return message; }

    private:
        std::string message = "Nanda";
};

int main()
{
    PrivateTest test;

    std::cout << test.getMessage() << std::endl;
    std::string& corrupted = test.getMessage();
    corrupted = "gotcha";
    std::cout << test.getMessage() << std::endl;
}

Let's compile and execute!

nandakumar@heramba ~ $ g++ -std=c++14 PrivateTest.cpp
nandakumar@heramba ~ $ ./a.out
Nanda
gotcha


The private is exposed :-). Perhaps, this is an example of bad/vulnerable C++ class design. The encapsulation needs to be stronger so that private access violations are not broken. The code somewhat similar to pointer version replaced with reference. Ultimately, the assembly boils down to logical address. The jargon of pointers & references only fall under compiler paradigms and has less significance at assembly level.

This is not something new, but revelation to few coders happens slower ;-)