An improved scalable mixed-level approach to dynamic analysis of C and C++ programs

In this thesis, I address the challenges of developing tools which use a mixed-level approach to dynamic binary analysis. The mixed-level approach combines advantages of both source- based and binary-based approaches to dynamic analysis, but comes with the added challenge of dealing with the implementation details of a specific implementation of the target language. This thesis describes the implementation of three existing tools which use the mixed-level approach: Fjalar, a C/C++ dynamic analysis framework, Kvasir, A C/C++ value profiling tool, and Dyncomp, a tool for inferring the abstract types of a C or C++ program. Additionally, this thesis describes the steps I took in increasing the maintainability and portability of these tools. I investigated and documented platform specific dependencies; I documented the process of merging in upstream changes of Valgrind, the Dynamic Binary Instrumenter Fjalar is built on, to aid Fjalar in keeping in-sync with Valgrind bug-fixes; and I implemented a tool for debugging Dyncomp errors.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Rudd, Robert Andrew, M. Eng. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Michael D. Ernst.

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/61250

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/61250