Software Diagnostics Library

Five volumes of cross-disciplinary Anthology (dubbed by the author “The Summa Memorianica”) lay the foundation of the scientific discipline of Memoretics (study of computer memory snapshots and their evolution in time) that is also called Memory Dump and Software Trace Analysis.ca

The 5th volume contains revised, edited, cross-referenced, and thematically organized selected DumpAnalysis.org blog posts about crash dump, software trace analysis and debugging written in February 2010 - October 2010 for software engineers developing and maintaining products on Windows platforms, quality assurance engineers testing software on Windows platforms, technical support and escalation engineers dealing with complex software issues, and security researchers, malware analysts and reverse engineers. The fifth volume features:

- 25 new crash dump analysis patterns
- 11 new pattern interaction case studies (including software tracing)
- 16 new trace analysis patterns
- 7 structural memory patterns
- 4 modeling case studies for memory dump analysis patterns
- Discussion of 3 common analysis mistakes
- Malware analysis case study
- Computer independent architecture of crash analysis report service
- Expanded coverage of software narratology
- Metaphysical and theological implications of memory dump worldview
- More pictures of memory space and physicalist art
- Classification of memory visualization tools
- Memory visualization case studies
- Close reading of the stories of Sherlock Holmes: Dr. Watson’s observational patterns
- Fully cross-referenced with Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, and Volume 4

Product information:

• Title: Memory Dump Analysis Anthology, Volume 5
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 22.86 x 15.24

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Opentask (10 December 2010)
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-96-4

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Opentask (10 December 2010)
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-97-1

Back cover features memory space art image Hot Computation: Memory on Fire.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

As the Year of Dump Analysis 0×7DA (2010) comes closer to the end and the DeBugging decade starts 0×7DB (2011) soon we organize Debugging Joke Competition with the results announced on the 1st of January, 2011 (if Internet works). Please send your jokes using this contact form:

http://www.dumpanalysis.org/contact

Winners get signed (by Dr. DebugLove) copies of Dr. Debugalov book and the forthcoming full color coffee table book Spikes, Hangs, Crashes, Leaks and Dumps of Imagination: The Art of the Debugging Art.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

In order to promote memory dump worldview and associated philosophy of memoidealism we have founded a society with a mission to teach memory dump analysis to everyone.

Dmitry Vostokov
Director of Studies

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

I’m pleased to announce that MDAA, Volume 4 is available in PDF format:

www.dumpanalysis.org/Memory+Dump+Analysis+Anthology+Volume+4

It features:

- 15 new crash dump analysis patterns
- 13 new pattern interaction case studies
- 10 new trace analysis patterns
- 6 new Debugware patterns and case study
- Workaround patterns
- Updated checklist
- Fully cross-referenced with Volume 1, Volume 2 and Volume 3
- Memory visualization tutorials
- Memory space art

Its table of contents is available here:

http://www.dumpanalysis.org/MDAA/MDA-Anthology-V4-TOC.pdf

Paperback and hardcover versions should be available in a week or two. I also started working on Volume 5 that should be available in December.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

I have discovered rules that make it possible to devise a memory dump and software trace analysis equivalent of the Periodic Table of Elements in Chemistry. It allows prediction of abnormal software behaviour and structural defects and what patterns to look for after deploying software and collecting its artifacts. More on this is in the next part of these series.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

Having spent 16 years in software engineering I ventured into software support in 2003 (with 8th year started at the time of this writing). Now it is time for the next gradual shift into software security (the domain I previously had exposure to but not as a primary focus):

The title of this post is borrowed from the book I read from cover to cover long time ago and recently put on my desk again:

Journey of the Software Professional: The Sociology of Software Development

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

Previously announced DSS has got its logo and now affiliated with DA+TA Facebook group:

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

Motivated by the existence of London School of Economics (LSE) I just founded DSS. The program to be communicated soon and includes general memory dump and software trace analysis as a foundation for security. I like the name very much because of its additional meaning:

DUmps Binary Logs INternals

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

Here is the description of a high-level architecture of the previously announced project CARE (Crash Analysis Report Environment). To remind, the main idea of the project is to process memory dumps on a client to save debugger logs. They can be sent to a server for pattern-driven analysis of software behaviour. Textual logs can also be inspected by a client security team before sending. Certain sensitive information can be excluded or modified to have generic meaning according to the built-in processing rules like renaming (for example, server names and folders). Before processing, verified secured logs are converted to abstract debugger logs. Abstracting platform-specific debugger log format allows reuse of the same architecture for different computer platforms. We call it CIA (Computer Independent Architecture). Do not confuse it with ICA (Independent Computer Architecture) and CIA acronym is more appropriate for memory analysis (like similar MAFIA acronym, Memory Analysis Forensics and Intelligence Architecture). These abstract logs are checked for various patterns (in abstracted form) using abstract debugger commands and an abstract report is generated according to various checklists. Abstract reports are then converted to structured reports for the required audience level. Abstract memory analysis pattern descriptions are prepared from platform-specific pattern descriptions. In certain architectural component deployment configurations both client and server parts can reside on the same machine. Here’s the simple diagram depicting the flow of processing:

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

I detour for MARS expedition. You may also call it Memory Analysis Report System as malware analysis is always exploration of memory (in general). Why is this sudden change of course? After reading Gilles Deleuze I want to broaden the concept of “malware” and give it new orientation and direction of thinking. Beside that I also want new challenges after many years of research in pattern-driven memory dump and software trace analysis of abnormal software behaviour.

You may have also noticed small restructuring (rebranding) of this blog and DumpAnalysis.org headers.

See you there

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

As a practical example of applying behavioral and structural pattern analysis of computer memory and traces OpenTask plans to publish the following title next year:

• Title: Malware Patterns: Structure and Behavior of Computer Adware, Crimeware, Rootkits, Scareware, Spyware, Trojans, Viruses, Victimware and Worms
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Paperback: 1200 pages
• Publisher: OpenTask (October 2011)
• ISBN-13: 978-1-908043-01-6

The inclusion of victimware is necessary because of the effects of defective malware.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

I now transition to 8 similar to 7-to-8 transition from user to kernel space (new dialectical quality):

switch(years_at_citrix)
{
  case 5:
  write_blog_post(”I’ve just passed 5 year mark … “);
  wait_for_certificate();
  write_blog_post(”Shortly after celebrating 5 years … “);
  break;
  case 6:
  write_blog_post(”Threads in my process run very fast. Not long ago … “);
  break;
  case 7:
  write_blog_post(”Transition to kernel mode and space … “);
  break;
  case 8:
  // … TBD
}

I also abandoned monthly counting started earlier because in kernel space time is counted in clock cycles per quantum unit where the latter is 1/3 of a clock tick (Windows Internals, 5th edition, pp. 406 - 408) :-)

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

It’s time to update my old Resume and CV: As a Book that was on sale for almost 2 years to reflect exponential changes in objectives, skills, achievements and deliverables since summer, 2003. Actually the number of pages has doubled. The 2nd edition is planned to be 111th book scheduled for publication in December:

• Title: Resume and CV: As a Book (2nd Edition)
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: OpenTask (01 Dec 2010)
• ISBN-13: 978-1-908043-00-9

The front cover color follows the proverbs about “green fields” (I also fixed a bug that was on the first edition front cover)

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

I aim to release a beta version of that unified troubleshooting system together with EasyDbg (as WinDbg add-on) in a few months after finishing porting it to x64 platform. The system is very customizable and similar buttons can be created to launch troubleshooting tools and execute troubleshooting units of work for any client and server applications. It will also be covered in the forthcoming Software Troubleshooting and Debugging Tools presentation.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

The choice of webinars below mostly reflects my personal preferences and long time desire to speak on topics like systems thinking, troubleshooting tool design and development. The other topic about BSOD minidump analysis was requested by participants in an ongoing survey. There will be more topics in 2011. All forthcoming webinars will be hosted by Memory Dump Analysis Services. The planning list includes:

Systems Thinking in Memory Dump and Software Trace Analysis

Software Troubleshooting and Debugging Tools: Objects, Components, Patterns and Frameworks with UML

• UML basics
• DebugWare patterns
• Unified Troubleshooting Framework
• RADII software development process
• Hands-on exercise: designing and building a tool

Blue Screen Of Death Analysis Done Right: Minidump Investigation for System Administrators

• Making sense of !analyze –v output
• Get extra troubleshooting information with additional WinDbg commands
• Guessing culprits with raw stack analysis
• Who’s responsible: hardware or software?
• Checklist and patterns
• Including hands-on exercises: send your own minidumps

More detailed information will be available soon. 

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

I was thinking for some time about applying crash dump analysis patterns (later including software trace analysis patterns and more recently structural memory patterns) to History (one of my favourite study subjects) using metaphorical bijectionism as I tried before with the analysis of project failures. Yesterday I found this book that applies the perspective of patterns in natural sciences to History (according to its description):

Pattern and Repertoire in History

I plan to review the book and highlight the differences and similarities between the authors’ and mine patternist approaches to History.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

The title of these blog post series was motivated by a book I enjoyed reading this summer:

The Altenberg 16: An Exposé of the Evolution Industry

Finally, after thinking and keeping silence (this blog post was in draft folder for several months) I plan an interview next month for a start.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

My April fool’s joke about the 5th dump type partially came true. I’ve just noticed the new tab “Silent Process Exit” in gflags.exe on my W2K8 R2 server:

The registry keys corresponding to settings are:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \CurrentVersion \ SilentProcessExit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion \ SilentProcessExit \ TestDefaultDebugger64
DumpType (DWORD) 0x88

I continue my investigation and report more later.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

General Memory Analysis is another name for Memoretics, a discipline that studies memory snapshots including their similarities and differences on different system platforms such as Windows, Linus, Mac OS X, embedded and mobile systems, historical architectures, etc. The analysis of memory helps solve problems in various domains such as software troubleshooting and debugging, computer forensic analysis, etc.

The current focus of interdisciplinary research is to build a unified memory pattern language that covers both behavioral and structural patterns and also to study the possibility of building memory systems from below, not from requirements -> architecture -> design -> implementation -> compilation -> linking -> loading -> execution but from directly modeling and assembling memory systems using memory patterns.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

Finally, after the delay, the issue is available in print on Amazon and through other sellers:

Debugged! MZ/PE: Multithreading

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -