StackGuard is a tool for detecting buffer overflows. It modifies the compiler to place a known (pseudo)random number (a canary) on the stack just before the return address when a function is called. Additional code is added so that, just before the function returns, it pops the canary and compares it to the value that was placed upon the stack. If the two differ, StackGuard asserts a buffer overflow has occurred, and invokes an error handler to terminate the program. How effective is this approach at stopping stack-based buffer overflows? Under what conditions might it fail?
StackGuard is a tool for detecting buffer overflows. It modifies the compiler to place a known (pseudo)random number (a canary) on the stack just before the return address when a function is called. Additional code is added so that, just before the function returns, it pops the canary and compares it to the value that was placed upon the stack. If the two differ, StackGuard asserts a buffer overflow has occurred, and invokes an error handler to terminate the program. How effective is this approach at stopping stack-based buffer overflows? Under what conditions might it fail?
Database System Concepts
7th Edition
ISBN:9780078022159
Author:Abraham Silberschatz Professor, Henry F. Korth, S. Sudarshan
Publisher:Abraham Silberschatz Professor, Henry F. Korth, S. Sudarshan
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
Transcribed Image Text:**StackGuard Overview**
StackGuard is an essential tool in software security, designed to detect buffer overflows. It alters the compiler to insert a known (pseudo)random number, often called a "canary," onto the stack immediately before the return address every time a function is called.
**Mechanism of Operation:**
- **Canary Placement:** When a function is invoked, StackGuard places a canary on the stack.
- **Canary Verification:** Before the function returns, additional code checks the canary value. It retrieves this canary and compares it with the original.
- **Buffer Overflow Detection:** If the comparison shows a discrepancy between the two canary values, it indicates a buffer overflow, prompting StackGuard to trigger an error handler that halts the program.
**Effectiveness and Limitations:**
- **Effectiveness:** This method efficiently prevents stack-based buffer overflows by ensuring that any attack modifying the return address also modifies the canary, allowing detection.
- **Potential Failures:** StackGuard may fail under certain conditions, such as sophisticated attacks that either predict the canary value or bypass the StackGuard protection mechanism entirely.
This technique illustrates a proactive approach to securing software, although understanding its limitations encourages the development of complementary security measures.
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