Bernard,
>Would it not be a good idea for an operating system to separate code and
>data?
Alternatively, since everyone knows the operating system doesn't separate
code from data, wouldn't it be good programming practice for application
developers to do so? So that if a long string arrives in a short buffer, it
can't get treated as code?
(Happy to be shot by any app devs if there's a reason this is impossible.)
Richard Chirgwin
-----Original Message-----
From: Bernard Robertson-Dunn [mailto:brd@austarmetro.com.au]
Sent: Wednesday, 8 August 2001 11:36
To: Link
Subject: Re: [LINK] Code Red worm
OK, we have established that a buffer overflow occurs when more data is put
into a space than it was designed to hold, and the excess code is
subsequently executed as code.
Would it not be a good idea for an operating system to separate code and
data? Like in some of the operating systems I programmed in the mid 1970s?
Windows is still a toy operating system and it sometimes worries me that
the world is becoming so dependent on such a poorly architected
environment, and that includes both the hardware and software. The 1970s
systems had separate registers for the operating system and user space. A
benefit for both security and performance.
-- Windows is a 32 bit addon to a 16 bit GUI running on an 8 bit extension to a 4 bit O/S made by a 2 bit company that can't stand 1 bit of competition. -- unknownRegards brd
Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au brd@austarmetro.com.au
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