What C/C++ tools can check for buffer overflows? [closed]

Answer 1

MS:

• UMDH.exe tool: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/268343
• /analyze compiler option (free from the latest Microsoft SDK)

Answer 2

You can try Visual Leak Detector - I used it myself, and it is the first thing I'd recommend for mem-leak detection.

Answer 3

My vote goes to Rational Purify. Extremely powerful with a price to match. Makes short work of lots of problems and can really pay for itself. Also, is available on most *nix. Not sure about Windows, though.

Answer 4

The BoundsChecker component of Compuware's Devpartner does this very well in terms of dynamic execution. For static testing, I'd recommend pc-lint and flex-lint coupled up to Riverblade's visual lint for usability and reporting. If you have been handed a new code base, I'd recommend starting out with static analysis with reasonably loose rules so you catch just the nasty stuff. As the codebase improves you can tightent the rule set.

If you need to do this on Windows Mobile / Windows CE, check out Entrek's code snitch

Another tool to consider if the code makes it into the field is AQtrace, which basically analyses crashes on user machines and sends you the details. (Just in case all that boundchecking, purifcation, linting, valgrinding etc.. misses something)

Answer 5

On Windows for memory leaks/buffer overruns and other runtime error detection you can use:

• Boundschecker from Compuware (http://www.compuware.com/products/devpartner/visualc.htm)
• IBM Rational Purify

I think they worth their price if you have large projects that need cleanup.

Answer 6

IBM's Purify will do this, you run your app under it and it will give you a report of all errors (including other ones).

To kill memory leaks, use UMDH - run your app, take a snapshot of the memory, run it again, snapshot and then use a diff tool to see the allocations made since the first run through (note you must run your app once, and take snapshots as best you can).