Secure Programming Cookbook for C and C++

Organization of This Book

Because this book is a cookbook, the text is not presented in tutorial style; it is a comprehensive reference, filled with code that meets common security needs. We do not intend for this book to be read straight through. Instead, we expect that you will consult this book when you need it, just to pick out the information and code that you need.

To that end, here is a strategy for getting the most out of this book:

• Each recipe is named in some detail. Browse through the table of contents and through the list of supplemental recipes on the book’s web site.

• Before reading appropriate recipes, take a look at the chapter introduction and the first few recipes in the chapter for fundamental background on the topic.

• Sometimes, we offer a general recipe providing an overview of possible solutions to a problem, and then more specific recipes for each solution. For example, we have a generic recipe on buffer overflows that helps you determine which technology is best for your application; then there are recipes covering specific technologies that couldn’t have been covered concisely in the overview.

• If particular concepts are unclear, look them up in the glossary, which is available on the book’s web site.

• Throughout each recipe, we detail potential “gotchas” that you should consider, so be sure to read recipes in their entirety.

The book is divided into 13 chapters:

Chapter 1, Safe Initialization, provides recipes for making sure your programs are in a secure state on ...