NICTA bug killing tool heads for beta trials
An updated version of the Goanna code scanning tool, which is capable of sniffing out buffer overflows and memory errors prior to code being compiled, was on display at the National ICT Australia Techfest in Melbourne this week.
Last year, researchers unveiled a prototype of Goanna that could scan rudimentary code and find basic errors. Over the past 12 months, researchers say the project has progressed to a stage where the tool is nearing beta testing.
NICTA's Ralf Huuck told ZDNet Australia that Goanna can be used to discover buffer overflows, memory leaks and other errors where the programmer has not handled memory access the way they should".
In this 2:20 minute video, project members Ralf Huuck and Sean Seefried, demonstrate Goanna and explain how the project has evolved over the past year.
"Last year we could show you a prototype that was working on selected code. This year we can cover all the code that is out there and we can support assembly, which we were not able to do the year before.
"So we have progressed a lot and we are at a stage where we have a basic prototype and are addressing partners and firms to test it and see which [new] features are required.
"By mid next year we hope to have something in the market -- probably with some beta customers early on," added Huuck.
Munir Kotadia travelled to Melbourne as a guest of NICTA.
Eds note: Other NICTA video interviews include: