Memory Safety in Rust
Informally, memory safety in a program means that each data access is well behaved; i.e., is consistent with the item’s data type, does not impinge on any storage locations beyond the data value’s boundaries, and, if the program is multithreaded, does not produce an inconsistent or corrupted value. Memory safety violations result in undefined behavior, which is a Bad Thing: instances like the notorious “buffer overrun” can turn an otherwise safe and secure program into a ticking virtual time bomb. Some of the most eventful malware attacks in recent years are due to memory safety violations, and the topic has moved from techno-geek subreddits into mainstream discourse. Anyone developing or acquiring software, especially for applications with high assurance requirements, needs to pay attention.