[Bug-XBoard] Re: Winboard

[Tim Mann]

WinBoard 4.2.7 has a fix for one buffer overflow bug (contributed by
Daniel Mehrmann), but there are probably more still left.  I don't know
if anyone else has plans to work on buffer overflows, but I've copied
this message to address@hidden so that the other developers will be
aware of the issue too.

If you can be more specific about exactly what engines cause the crashes
and when, that would help anyone who finds time to work on them.  A
WinBoard.debug file would help too.  Thanks.

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 23:58:12 +0100, "Leo Dijksman" <address@hidden> wrote:
> Hello Tim,
> 
> I have a question to you :)
> I have in the past taken some engines out of my wbec ridderkerk tourney
> because they 'crashed' Winboard, now I have again problems with one
> and it seems to have to do with point 353 at the todo list:
> ================================================
> **353. WinBoard can crash when the engine outputs very long PV lines
> (or debug output that looks like a PV).  In particular, lines that
> start with 4 or more blanks following a "thinking" output line are
> treated as continuation lines, and get concatenated into a 512-byte
> buffer with no checking for overflow.  Generally we need a lot more
> care to avoid buffer overflows inside both xboard and WinBoard.
> [Note: changed the buffers to be 5120 bytes as a band-aid.]
> =================================================
> 
> My question is if this is something what can/will be fixed at
> Xboard/Winboard
> or is it something the engine author have to change at his engine?
> If it will be done at XB/WB, can/will you put it high at the todo list
> please?
> 
> I think, but I am not sure, that I run into that 'problem' earlier as other
> users
> because of the pretty long time controle at fast computers and have also
> ponder=on?
> 
> Thanks in advance for any answer,
> 
> Leo Dijksman.
> 


-- 
Tim Mann  address@hidden  http://tim-mann.org/