Secure Coding in C and C++

The security of information systems has not improved at a rate consistent with the growth and sophistication of the attacks being made against them. To address this problem, we must improve the underlying strategies and techniques used to create our systems. Specifically, we must build security in from the start, rather than append it as an afterthought. That s the point of Secure Coding in C and C++. In careful detail, this book shows software developers how to build high-quality systems that are less vulnerable to costly and even catastrophic attack. It s a book that every developer should read before the start of any serious project. --Frank Abagnale, author, lecturer, and leading consultant on fraud prevention and secure documents Learn the Root Causes of Software Vulnerabilities and How to Avoid Them Commonly exploited software vulnerabilities are usually caused by avoidable software defects.


Having analyzed nearly 18,000 vulnerability reports over the past ten years, the CERT/Coordination Center (CERT/CC) has determined that a relatively small number of root causes account for most of them. This book identifies and explains these causes and shows the steps that can be taken to prevent exploitation. Moreover, this book encourages programmers to adopt security best practices and develop a security mindset that can help protect software from tomorrow s attacks, not just today s. Drawing on the CERT/CC s reports and conclusions, Robert Seacord systematically identifies the program errors most likely to lead to security breaches, shows how they can be exploited, reviews the potential consequences, and presents secure alternatives. Coverage includes technical detail on how to *Improve the overall security of any C/C++ application *Thwart buffer overflows and stack-smashing attacks that exploit insecure string manipulation logic *Avoid vulnerabilities and security flaws resulting from the incorrect use of dynamic memory management functions *Eliminate integer-related problems: integer overflows, sign errors, and truncation errors *Correctly use formatted output functions without introducing format-string vulnerabilities *Avoid I/O vulnerabilities, including race conditions Secure Coding in C and C++ presents hundreds of examples of secure code, insecure code, and exploits, implemented for Windows and Linux. If you re responsible for creating secure C or C++ software--or for keeping it safe--no other book offers you this much detailed, expert assistance.