Memory Safety in Rust: A Paradigm Shift in Systems Programming

Systems programming languages, notably C and C++, often grapple with memory management issues like buffer overflows and dangling pointers, leading to significant security vulnerabilities. This talk examines Rust's approach to addressing these problems. We'll delve into Rust's ownership and borrowing system, highlighting its ability to circumvent common memory safety pitfalls. We'll also touch upon Rust's safeguards against null pointer dereferencing and data races. Through Rust, we glimpse the future of safer systems programming. This session assumes software development skills on a medium to higher level.

Value for the audience:
Attendees will gain insights into the challenges of memory safety in systems programming and how Rust addresses these pitfalls. The audience will learn about the intricacies of managing shared data in concurrent systems and how Rust's borrowing and lifetime mechanisms help prevent data races. By understanding Rust's advantages in safety and performance, attendees can make more informed decisions when choosing a programming language for their future projects.

Problems addressed:
Memory Management Issues: Languages like C and C++ are prone to critical vulnerabilities such as buffer overflows and dangling pointers.

Concurrency Challenges: Managing shared data in concurrent systems can lead to data races and unpredictable software behavior.

Safety vs. Performance: The balance between ensuring code safety and maintaining optimal performance is a pivotal concern in systems programming.

Talk language: English
Level: Advanced
Target group: Softwarearchitekten, Softwareentwickler

Company:
software architects gmbh

Rainer Stropek