Optimization of naïve dynamic binary instrumentation Tools
Reid Kleckner · 2011
The proliferation of dynamic program analysis tools has done much to ease the burden of developing complex software. However, creating such tools remains a challenge. Dynamic binary instrumentation frameworks such as DyanamoRIO and Pin provide support for such tools by taking responsibility for application transparency and machine code manipulation. However, tool writers must still make a tough choice when writing instrumentation: should they inject custom inline assembly into the application code, or should they use the framework facilities for inserting callbacks into regular C code? Custom assembly can be more performant and more flexible, but it forces the tool to take some responsibility for maintaining application transparency. Callbacks into C, or “clean calls, ” allow the tool writer to ignore the details of maintaining transparency. Generally speaking, a clean call entails switching to a safe stack,