BFSP [v1.05]

Bitflip Fault Simulation Platform by Daniele Rizzieri (2021)
The platform injects a random bitflip in each of N copies of a binary file. Then it executed them, analysing the outcomes.

Requirements

Required Linux packages:

• python3
• procps
• gdb
• systemd-coredump

Test Binary File Guidelines

In order to be properly testable, the program under test must be compliant with the following guidelines:

1. Application's output must be redirected to the standard output virtual file (i.e., it must be instructed to print the functional results to screen/console)
2. Application's behaviour and functional output must be fully deterministic: the tester must ensure that the entire code does not depend on time or other random variables. Examples:
   • if some kind of randomization function is involved, the tester must fix the randomization seed;
   • if some kind of time related function is involved, the tester must either suppress it or fix the time dependant variable;
3. The test application must be compiled from code, following the here reported guidelines:
   1. During the compilation the debug symbols must be included using the GCC option "-g"
   2. The application must be statically linked, through the "-static" compilation option
   3. When compiling, the tester should avoid the compiler optimization options "-o#"

Quick Start

1. Remember to set a value for the global setting variables in the code, not accessible via command parameters (see bfsp.py for more details):

   • binary file name
   • binary arguments
   • hang timeout

2. Put SW executable file*** under test in ./run/ folder
   [*** Read carefully Test Binary File Guidelines section]

3. Type "python3 bfsp.py -h" or "python3 bfsp.py --help" for usage info:

> Usage: python3 bfsp.py -n N [options]
   required:
      -n N,              N = number of injections
   options:
      -s r_seed,          Set the random seed to r_seed
      -v, --verbose,   To produce verbose output report
      -c, --clean,       To clean the bitflipped libraries folder and exit
      -z, --zip,           To compact all the reports in ./reports/ in a summary\

4. See crash report in the file indicated at end of execution.

5. See execution report in the file indicated at end of execution.

Output File Locations

• ./bitflipped_binaries/ --> binaries with injected bitflips
• ./bitflipped_binaries/results/ --> functional results of the binaries
• ./core_dumps/ --> coredump files of crashed processes in
• ./gdb_logs/ --> log files from gdb analysis of the coredumps
• ./exec_reports/ --> reports with info about the exit codes and hang processes
• ./crash_reports/ --> reports with info about the crashed processes