Compiler: Size of generated executable file

[Rainer Deyke]

KennyTM~ wrote:
> Suppose libc got a security flaw. Instead of downloading and updating 1
> library you got to download and update 1,000 executables. So instead of
> distributing (say) 100 KB of binaries the repositories need to send 100
> MB to its users. A huge and unnecessary bandwidth waste for both sides I
> would say.

That's a worst case scenario - a dll that's effectively a core component
of the operating system.  The vast majority of dlls are used much less
frequently.  (It's also questionable if the security flaw would actually
affect all 1000 executables.)

Still, bandwidth is cheap.  Windows service packs are a lot bigger than
100MB.

> What if the application developer is irresponsible?

What if the security flaw is in the application and not in any library?
 In a lot of cases, it doesn't matter because the application doesn't
connect to the outside world and is therefore secure by default.  When
it does matter, you have three options: accept the risk, run on a
quarantined system, or don't use the application.


-- 
Rainer Deyke - rainerd at eldwood.com