Updated April 2008 to include many stability and performance improvements - now based on GCC 4.3.0.

int *p = new int[7]; p = p + 7; *p = 42; int a[7]; a[7] = 42; Programming languages suitable for writing low-level system software must allow direct access to memory. This is achieved with pointers, which store memory addresses, or a similar mechanism. C and C++, currently the second and third most popular programming languages respectively (as of July 2007), give programmers full access to the power of pointer arithmetic without any checks on how that power is used. It is left up to the programmer to ensure this is done correctly. Herein lies the problem: programmers make mistakes. Frequently.

Mudflap Improved with Referent Objects implements runtime checking of pointer operations for C and C++ programs in GCC 4. MIRO has the following main features:

• Strong checking using the Referent Object approach
• Ability to mix checked and unchecked code freely
• Support for non-compliant use of invalid pointers, common in real-world programs

The project report describes the project in detail. MIRO can be downloaded (74MB) as part of a complete GCC package including instructions on how to use it.