README.md

WhileDetect

--

A python tool for detecting whether there are some while(1) loops in your binary after compiling by GCC

Usage

-- python whiledetect.py [binary_path] eg: python whiledetect.py /opt/nginx/sbin/nginx

Motivation for writing this tool

--

GCC Bug in a hgih version(4.8.*) :the bug of Compile options "-O2"

The code mode(fake c):

for(a=func(b);a!=c;a=func(b)) 
{
    ...task_body...
}

will be optimized to

a=func(b);
if(a!=c)
{
    while(1)
    {
        ...task_body...
    }
}

and the code mode above will run in an endless loop

Problem of false positives of this tool remained

• The initial function "register_tm_clones" which added by gcc automaticly will be detected as the while true code block, maybe it can be eliminated by set a smaller disntance of JUMP_MAX_DISTANCE in the script named searchwhile.py
• the code blocks which contain a CALL to EXIT or EXCEPTION syscall will be detected as the while true code block, and this problem remains to be fix by distinguish the target of CALL instructions in the potential code blocks