A Language-Based Approach for Improving the Robustness of Network Application Protocol Implementations

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  • Laurent Burgy
  • Laurent Reveillere
  • Julia Laetitia Lawall
  • Gilles Muller
The secure and robust functioning of a network relies on
the defect-free implementation of network applications. As
network protocols have become increasingly complex, however,
hand-writing network message processing code has become
increasingly error-prone.

In this paper, we present a domain-specific language,
Zebu, for generating robust and efficient message processing
layers. A Zebu specification, based on the notation used in
RFCs, describes protocol message formats and related processing
constraints. Zebu-based applications are efficient,
since message fragments can be specified to be processed
on demand. Zebu-based applications are also robust, as
the Zebu compiler automatically checks specification consistency
and generates parsing stubs that include validation
of the message structure. Using a message torture suite in
the context of SIP and RTSP, we show that Zebu-generated
code is both complete and defect-free.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication26th IEEE International Symposium on Reliable Distributed Systems : (SRDS 2007)
PublisherIEEE Signal Processing Society
Publication date2007
Pages149-158
ISBN (Print)9780769529950
Publication statusPublished - 2007
EventIEEE International Symposium on Reliable Distributed Systems - Beijing, China
Duration: 10 Oct 200712 Oct 2007
Conference number: 26

Conference

ConferenceIEEE International Symposium on Reliable Distributed Systems
Nummer26
LandChina
ByBeijing
Periode10/10/200712/10/2007

    Research areas

  • Faculty of Science - Domain-specific languages, Message processing, Network protocols

ID: 1368117