RE: The role static analysis tools play in uncovering elements of design

[jeff.williams at aspectsecurity.com (Jeff Williams)]

I think there's a lot more that static analysis can do than what you're
describing. They're not (necessarily) just fancy pattern matchers.

Static analysis can add security meta-information to a software baseline. If
the tool knows which methods are related to which security mechanisms, it
can help you find, navigate, and understand their design. The tools help me
generate a security 'view' of a software baseline.

Does the application do encryption? Is it centralized? What algorithms are
used? What data flows are affected? Are there any paths around the
encryption? Where are the keys stored? Is there proper error handling and
logging for the encryption mechanism? Static analysis tools make answering
all these questions easier.

Today's static analysis tools are only starting to help here. Tools focused
on dumping out a list of vulnerabilities don't work well for me. Too many
false alarms.  Maybe that's what you meant by 'inhibit'.

--Jeff
?
Jeff Williams, CEO
Aspect Security
http://www.aspectsecurity.com
email: jeff.williams at aspectsecurity.com
phone: 410-707-1487
?
________________________________________
From: John Steven [mailto:jsteven at cigital.com] 
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 1:40 PM
To: Jeff Williams; Secure Coding Mailing List
Subject: The role static analysis tools play in uncovering elements of
design 

Jeff,

An unpopular opinion I?ve held is that static analysis tools, while very
helpful in finding problems, inhibit a reviewer?s ability to find collect as
much information about the structure, flow, and idiom of code?s design as
the reviewer might find if he/she spelunks the code manually.

I find it difficult to use tools other than source code navigators (source
insight) and scripts to facilitate my code understanding (at the
design-level). 

Perhaps you can give some examples of static analysis library/tool use that
overcomes my prejudice?or are you referring to the navigator tools as well?

-----
John Steven ??????????????????????????????????
Principal, Software Security Group
Technical Director, Office of the CTO
703 404 5726 - Direct | 703 727 4034 - Cell
Cigital Inc. ?????????| jsteven at cigital.com

4772 F7F3 1019 4668 62AD ?94B0 AE7F EEF4 62D5 F908

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----snipped----
Static analysis tools can help a lot here. Used properly, they can provide
design-level insight into a software baseline. The huge advantage is that
it's correct.

--Jeff 
----snipped----
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