Functions and stack frame, C/C++ Programming

Assignment Help:

Each function has its own stack frame between %fp and %sp. Let Caller calls Callee. Then Caller's %sp becomes callee's %fp, and callee's %sp set to be a new value (a smaller one because stack grows from large address to small address). You can think that Callee's stack frame is on top of Caller's stack frame.

In Caller: put arguments in %o0 to %o5 registers or if number of arguments more than 6, prepare values in call linkage of the current stack frame. Then "call" address_of_callee; %o7 stored the returned address. (This %o7 will becomes %i7 in callee after the callee executes save instruction.)

In Callee: it executes "save" instruction:

  • 0. Caller's %i (input registers) and %l (local registers) are reserved in its own stack frame. They are put in the top portion of the caller's stack frame. Implication: the return address of Caller (NOT CALLEE), %i7, is stored there.
  • 1. set callee's %i (input registers) by callers %o (output registers). The implication: pass parameters and return address now is in %i7. And now callee's fp (%i6) <-- caller's sp (%o6).
  • 2. Allocate space for new frame pointers. Caller's sp (%o6) is now set to be the new value.

So at this point in callee, %i6 (%fp was caller's %o6) is set, and %o6 (%sp is set to be a new value). Question: where is the old %fp? It is stored somewhere in the top portion of the previous stack frame (see step 0.) The return address of Callee is stored in %i7. Is it possible to write a program to overflow this %i7? What return address that you really can overflow? Question: how to access that return address.

The "restore" instruction is the inverse function of save. Then the "ret" instruction should branch to %i7+8. The normal address should be %i7+4 as the next instruction address after call. The extra 4 is because sparc has a "branch delay" instruction that is executed BEFORE the call is made even it is put just after CALL. Is it strange. Not really. This is because modern CPU is a pipeline machine. It loads instruction every clock cycle, and branch (or jump or call) somewhat cannot be really done until the later stage the pipeline. And then it is already too late because the one JUST after this branch has already been executed. If you want to know more, you should take a look at computer architecture textbook which I think every graduate should know.

You should be very clear what return address in server.c is overflowed? Is it the return address of main() or the return address of copy()?


Related Discussions:- Functions and stack frame

Pointers, Pointers are just numbers, representing addresses in memory. You ...

Pointers are just numbers, representing addresses in memory. You can add to and subtract from pointers, for instance. It is pretty easy to make mistakes with pointer math, however,

Strings, A string S is said to be "Super ASCII", if it contains the charact...

A string S is said to be "Super ASCII", if it contains the character frequency equal to their ascii values. String will contain only lower case alphabets (''a''-''z'') and the asci

Example program of c programming, Write a c program to determine interchang...

Write a c program to determine interchanged values between two variables?[Hint - if loop] What will be the output of the program? How many times this loop will execute? Wr

Define generic bitwise operations, Define Generic Bitwise Operations? ...

Define Generic Bitwise Operations? Bitwise operators only work on an incomplete number of types int and char. It turns out there's above one kind of int. In particular there's

Luminous Jewels - The Polishing Game, Byteland county is very famous for lu...

Byteland county is very famous for luminous jewels. Luminous jewels are used in making beautiful necklaces. A necklace consists of various luminous jewels of particular colour. Nec

Palindrome, A palindrome is a string that reads the same from both the ends...

A palindrome is a string that reads the same from both the ends. Given a string S convert it to a palindrome by doing character replacement. Your task is to convert S to palindrome

2, how to do 2, 4, 8 associativity

how to do 2, 4, 8 associativity

Described the isa and hasa class relationships. , Described the ISA and HAS...

Described the ISA and HASA class relationships. How would you apply each in a class design? A: A specialized class "is" specialization of another class and, thus, has the ISA re

Wap for basic salary of employees & calculate net salary, WAP TO ACCEPT THE...

WAP TO ACCEPT THE BASIC SALARY OF EMPLOYEES & CALCULATE NET SALARY   #include stdio.h> #include conio.h>   void main() {                    float Basi

Compiler related, Please give me a programming code of first & follow wit...

Please give me a programming code of first & follow with c or c++ laqnguage .When anyone give me the programming code of first & follow please explain every lines with the help

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd