Adds null checks for memory allocation in elflink.c and replaces sprintf with memcpy for string concatenation
A patch improves error handling in Binutils' BFD by adding null checks for `bfd_malloc` and `bfd_alloc` calls and optimizes string concatenation using `memcpy`…
Alan Modra proposes a patch to enhance error handling and efficiency within elflink.c, a core component of Binutils’ BFD library. The primary changes involve adding explicit null checks for memory allocation functions bfd_malloc and bfd_alloc, preventing potential crashes if memory allocation fails. Additionally, the patch replaces sprintf calls with memcpy for concatenating strings, which can offer performance improvements and avoid potential buffer overflows.
- proposer
Proposes to add `NULL` checks for `bfd_alloc` and `bfd_malloc` return values in `elflink.c` and replace `sprintf` with `memcpy` for string concatenation.
“Add checks in a couple of places for a non-NULL return. While we're at it, don't use sprintf to concatenate two strings.”
In Details
This patch targets bfd/elflink.c, a critical part of the Binutils BFD library responsible for handling ELF (Executable and Linkable Format) linking. Key functions like bfd_elf_link_record_dynamic_symbol and get_dynamic_reloc_section_name are central to how BFD processes and represents ELF symbols and relocations. The changes involve adding robustness by checking return values of bfd_malloc and bfd_alloc—internal BFD memory allocation routines. Furthermore, the optimization of replacing sprintf with memcpy for constructing section names like .rel or .rela prefixed to existing…
For Context
This discussion is about improvements to Binutils, a set of tools crucial for working with computer programs, particularly for tasks like linking (combining different parts of a program together). Inside Binutils, there's a library called BFD (Binary File Descriptor) that helps it understand and manipulate various program file formats, like ELF (the standard format for executables on Linux). The proposed changes focus on a file called elflink.c, which handles how BFD links ELF files. Specifically, it's about making sure that when the program asks for memory (using functions like bfd_malloc), it always checks if the request was successful. If memory isn't available, the program should handle it gracefully instead of crashing. Additionally, the patch makes a small but important change to how the program puts together text strings; instead of using a function (sprintf) that can sometimes be less safe or slower, it uses a more direct and efficient method (memcpy), making the progr…