Avoid using representable value for internal null alert

2 files changed, 7 insertions, 14 deletions

diff --git a/src/tls/tls_alert.cpp b/src/tls/tls_alert.cpp
index 540fdd838..8723d9e5b 100644
--- a/src/tls/tls_alert.cpp
+++ b/src/tls/tls_alert.cpp
@@ -25,22 +25,15 @@ Alert::Alert(const std::vector<byte>& buf)
 
    const byte dc = buf[1];
 
-   /*
-   * This is allowed by the specification but is not allocated and we're
-   * using it internally as a special 'no alert' type.
-   */
-   if(dc == 255)
-      throw Internal_Error("Alert: description code 255, rejecting");
-
    m_type_code = static_cast<Type>(dc);
    }
 
 std::vector<byte> Alert::serialize() const
    {
-   std::vector<byte> alert(2);
-   alert[0] = static_cast<byte>(is_fatal() ? 2 : 1);
-   alert[1] = static_cast<byte>(type());
-   return alert;
+   return std::vector<byte>({
+      (is_fatal() ? 2 : 1),
+      (static_cast<byte>(type()))
+      });
    }
 
 std::string Alert::type_string() const
diff --git a/src/tls/tls_alert.h b/src/tls/tls_alert.h
index acbcc56d6..12ab57d6b 100644
--- a/src/tls/tls_alert.h
+++ b/src/tls/tls_alert.h
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ class BOTAN_DLL Alert
          BAD_CERTIFICATE_HASH_VALUE      = 114,
          UNKNOWN_PSK_IDENTITY            = 115,
 
-         NULL_ALERT                      = 255,
-
-         HEARTBEAT_PAYLOAD               = 256
+         // pseudo alert values
+         NULL_ALERT                      = 256,
+         HEARTBEAT_PAYLOAD               = 257
       };
 
       /**