Software Diagnostics Library

Software Diagnostics Services launches its first cyber satellite to survey the state of cyber space and mine its patterns:

http://www.dumpanalysis.com/cybervostok

Notice a satellite logo: it has an UML 2.0 interface sink similar to Software Diagnostics Institute logo:

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

Cyberwar industry 100 years after WWI arms and munitions profiteering. A call for 98% tax on cyberweapons.

… international cyberracketeers bent upon gaining profit through a game of cyberarming the world to cyberfight ….

Senator Gerald Nye, Nevada State Journal, October 4, 1934

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

In order to understand the politics of cyberwar in historical context it is beneficial to know the world history and especially the history of USA. Cyberconflicts and cyberwars are modern extensions of the previous power-driven tensions and conflicts. Knowing very little about actual USA history limited by school education in Soviet Union I found this almost 700 page book (UK paperback Penguin edition) written from a supposedly detached European perspective and read it from cover to cover:

America, Empire of Liberty: A New History of the United States

Which state will become an “Empire of Cyberwar” is my next question? Or such an empire will be at a supranational (suprastate) level? Looking forward to reading not yet written A Cyber History of the United States.

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

The new 6th volume contains revised, edited, cross-referenced, and thematically organized selected DumpAnalysis.org blog posts about memory dump and software trace analysis, software troubleshooting and debugging written in November 2010 - October 2011 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 sixth volume features:

• 56 new crash dump analysis patterns including 14 new .NET memory dump analysis patterns
• 4 new pattern interaction case studies
• 11 new trace analysis patterns
• New Debugware pattern
• Introduction to UI problem analysis patterns
• Introduction to intelligence analysis patterns
• Introduction to unified debugging pattern language
• Introduction to generative debugging, metadefect template library and DNA of software behaviour
• The new school of debugging and trends
• .NET memory dump analysis checklist
• Software trace analysis checklist
• Introduction to close and deconstructive readings of a software trace
• Memory dump analysis compass
• Computical and Stack Trace Art
• The abductive reasoning of Philip Marlowe
• Orbifold memory space and cloud computing
• Memory worldview
• Interpretation of cyberspace
• Relationship of memory dumps to religion
• Fully cross-referenced with Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Volume 4, and Volume 5

Product information:

• Title: Memory Dump Analysis Anthology, Volume 6
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 22.86 x 15.24

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Opentask (December 2011)
• ISBN-13: 978-1-908043-19-1

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: Opentask (January 2012)
• ISBN-13: 978-1-908043-20-7

Back cover features 3d memory space visualization image created with ParaView.

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

Memoretics views Cyber Space as Memory Space + Memory Data. Here Memory Space consists of many different memory spaces. Although data is private property memory space where it is located is not:

We propose private property on memory spaces and their partitions as a solution to various Cyber problems such as Cyber Crime and Cyber War:

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

Finally on the parallels between memory dump and software trace analysis and intelligence (Memoretics is a discipline that studies computer memory snapshots and their evolution in time):

Memoretics ”opens a unique window on” software “affairs”.

John H. Hedley, The Challenges of Intelligence Analysis, Strategic Intelligence, Volume 1

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

A few years ago when searching for interdisciplinary ideas via metaphorical bijections I found many parallels between memory dump analysis and intelligence. At that time I started reading a book Intelligence Analysis: A Target-Centric Approach, 2nd Edition (currently in the 3rd edition). Now looking at the cover of that book I think it might have later unconsciously influenced the picture of RADII process:

After some break with studying intelligence I now resume it after I found that tapping (trace analysis patterns for general memory traces with extra uncertainty attribute) could be a good basis for intelligence analysis patterns. My recent jump into cyber warfare also contributed to that. As a fictional continuation from MIx line (MI5, MI6 ^*) I feel the need to create MIA to promote such ideas (it is a well known fact that MI6 initially started as an amateurish organization ^**).

* MI5 and MI6 both look to me as pool tags GCHQ sounds like related to Garbage Collector

** Strategic Intelligence [5 volumes], Volume 1

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

Being deep into intelligence analysis while preparing for cyberwarfare memory dump analysis presentation I came to an idea of intelligence analysis patterns based on software trace analysis patterns and software narratology. Basically we consider intelligence data as pseudo-software trace messages with an additional probability field (column). Most of the patterns can be transferred and used immediately in intelligence analysis and I’m working on such a map. Because real software trace messages are quite certain (deterministic) where their sequences sometimes not (see, for example, Impossible Trace pattern) there are some unique patterns applicable only in intelligence analysis domain and I’m working on the first such pattern to introduce it in the next part.

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

Jobs page on Memory Dump, Software Trace, Debugging and Malware Analysis Portal now accepts company job ads related to security research, computer forensics, reverse engineering, and malware analysis in addition to debugging, software defect research, crash / core / memory dump and software trace analysis.

http://www.dumpanalysis.org/jobs

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

I’m pleased to announce that MDAA, Volume 5 is available in PDF format:

www.dumpanalysis.org/Memory+Dump+Analysis+Anthology+Volume+5

It 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

Its table of contents is available here:

www.dumpanalysis.org/MDAA/MDA-Anthology-V5-TOC.pdf

Paperback and hardcover versions should be available in a week or two. I also started working on Volume 6 that should be available in November-December.

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

Memory Dump Analysis Services plans a free Webinar in July to introduce a uniform methodology and tools for analysis of memory in cyber intelligence and counterintelligence activities.

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