Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Intrinsa Corporation

Jonathan D Pincus

William R Bush

Matthew A Haley

Daniel Ron Simon

Paul J Leach

Mark H Lucovsky

Richard Bruce Ward

Shaun Douglas Pierce

George M Moore

Arthur Zwiegincew

Michael Burner

Robert M Hyman

Alexander Thomas Weinert

Timothy G Fleehart

Jeffrey S Wallace

David Jon Sielaff

William Russell Softky

Vivek Gundotra

Valentin Nikolaev Razmov

Richard E Wilbur

Debby Majors-Degnan

Defect detection in a software system made of multiple computer program programs is facilitated by using information about cross-program interactions and dependency relationships between programs to analyze the individual programs in such a way that the behavior of the system as a whole is accurately represented. A list of dependency relationships is read in; these dependency relationships are used to determine an order in which the programs should be analyzed. The programs are then analyzed in that order. Information from the analysis of the programs is used to inform the analysis of subsequently-analyzed programs.

System and method for whole-system program analysis

Authorizing a requesting entity to have a service perform a particular action in a manner that is at least partially independent of the underlying target data structure. An authorization station maintains a number of role templates that each define basic access permissions with respect to a number of command methods. The authorization station also maintains a number of role definitions that each define access permissions for specific requesting entities by using one or more of the role templates. When the authorization station receives a request from the requesting entity, the authorization station then identifies the appropriate role definition. Using this role definition, the authorization station determines access permissions for the requesting entity with respect to the requested action.

Authorizing a requesting entity to operate upon data structures

An implementation of a technology, described herein, for facilitating the automated generation of input-validation software filters. The implementation of the invention provides an easy graphical user interface (GUI). With this GUI, a user (such as a system administrator) is able to quickly enter a set of parameters defining what valid inputs constitute&#x2014;in particular, when such inputs come from a computing component. Consequently, the user does not have to manually generate filtering instructions on how to filter input from a computing component. This abstract itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appending claims.

Automated generator of input-validation filters

Directly operating on data structures in a generic manner regardless of the type of data structure being operated upon and without requiring dedicated executable code for manipulating data structures of the particular data type. A common set of commands (e.g., insert, delete, replace, update, query) are recognized that may be used to operate on data structures of a number of different data types. A navigation module accesses a request to execute one of the common command methods on at least an identified portion of an identified data structure. Then, the navigation module accesses a navigation assistance module to access a set of rules associated with the particular data type, the set of rules allowing the navigation module to find the portion of the data structure that is to be operated on. If appropriate, the command operation is then executed on the identified portion of the data structure.

Accessing heterogeneous data in a standardized manner

A messaging data structure for accessing data in an identity-centric manner. An identity may be a user, a group of users, or an organization. Instead of data being maintained on an application-by-application basis, the data associated with a particular identity is stored by one or more data services accessible by many applications. The data is stored in accordance with a schema that is recognized by a number of different applications and the data service. The messaging data structure includes fields that identify the target data object to be operated upon using an identity field, a schema field, and an instance identifier field. In addition, the desired operation is specified. Thus, the target data object is operated on in an identity-centric manner.

Messaging infrastructure for identity-centric data access

According to one embodiment, a method of automatically assigning a ranking value to a plurality of received messages is disclosed. Each of the received messages provides information about a computer program. The method includes receiving a first message, storing the first message in the database and initializing the first message. Further, it is determined whether the first message is to be disqualified. If it is determined that the first message is to be disqualified, the first message is disqualified. If it is determined that the first message is not to be disqualified, a ranking value is automatically assigning to the first message based upon a predetermined set of criteria.

Method of ranking messages generated in a computer system

An error detection mechanism for detecting programming errors in a computer program. A component of the computer program, e.g., a procedure or function of the computer program, is analyzed to determine the effect of the component on resources used by the computer program. A component is analyzed by traversing the computer instructions, i.e., statements, of the component and tracking the state of resources used by the component as affected by the statements of the component. Each resource has a prescribed behavior represented by a number of states and transition between states. Violations in the prescribed behavior of a resource resulting from an emulated execution of the statements of the component are detected and reported as programming errors. Resources used by two or more components are modelled by modelling externals of the components. The effect of execution of a component on externals and resources of the component is determined by traversing one or more possible control flow paths through the component and tracking the use of each external and resource by each statement of each control flow path. Once the effect of execution of a component on externals and resources of the component is determined, a model of the component is created and used to model externals and resources of other components which invoke the modelled component.

Analysis of the effect of program execution of calling components with

Computer process resource modelling method and apparatus

A computer program error detection system that detects errors in a computer program by simulating execution of program statements. An internal format structure is retrieved along with a list of all functions defined by the computer program. The internal format structure is analyzed to determine all function calls and the function call ordering. External behavior models corresponding to the discovered function calls are retrieved and stored in a model table. One or more control flow paths are traversed through the computer program. For each path traversed, a structural memory model is maintained to represent the effect of the simulated execution of statements along the control flow path. A statement is simulated by executing a built in model of the operation. A function call is emulated by executing an external behavior model corresponding to the called function. Execution of an external behavior model causes the structural model memory to be updated to reflect execution of the called function. Information describing the manipulation of the memory model is logged for automodelling purposes. Invalid conditions in the structural memory model are detected and reported. The information logged for automodelling purposes is scanned after analysis of each path to build an outcome for that path. After individual path analysis completes, the different outcomes are processed, duplicates are removed, and an external behavior model representing the computer program under analysis is generated.

Simulated program execution error detection method and apparatus

An error detection mechanism for detecting programing errors in a computer program. A component of the computer program, e.g., a procedure or function of the computer program, is analyzed to determine the effect of the component on resources used by the computer program. A component is analyzed by traversing the computer instructions, i.e., statements, of the component and tracking the state of resources used by the component as affected by the statements of the component. Each resource has a prescribed behavior represented by a number of states and transition between states. Violations in the prescribed behavior of a resource resulting from an emulated execution of the statements of the component are detected and reported as programming errors. Resources used by two or more components are modelled by modelling externals of the components. The effect of execution of a component on externals and resources of the component is determined by traversing one or more possible control flow paths through the component and tracking the use of each external and resource by each statement of each control flow path. Once the effect of execution of a component on externals and resources of the component is determined, a model of the component is created and used to model externals and resources of other components which invoke the modelled component.

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Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Jonathan D Pincus