Analyzing Statically Linked Binaries

To profile a statically linked binary file, temporary stop stripping the binary file during compilation and make sure the binary file exports the following symbols from system libraries:

• libc.so:

  • A target exports setenv, getenv(), and __errno_location() symbols unconditionally.

  • If a target employs recv() API, it exports recv() and poll().

  • If a target employs sleep() or usleep() APIs, it exports sleep() or usleep() respectively, and nanosleep() symbol.

• libpthread.so:

  • If a target employs pthread_create() API, it exports the following symbols:

    • pthread_create()

    • pthread_key_create()

    • pthread_setspecific()

    • pthread_getspecific()

    • pthread_self()

    • pthread_getattr_np()

    • pthread_attr_destroy()

    • pthread_attr_setstack()

    • pthread_attr_getstack()

    • pthread_attr_getstacksize()

    • pthread_attr_setstacksize()

    • If a target employs pthread_cancel() API, it exports the following symbols:

      • pthread_cancel()

      • _pthread_cleanup_push()

      • _pthread_cleanup_pop()

    • If a target employs _pthread_cleanup_push() or _pthread_cleanup_pop() API, it exports the following symbols:

      • _pthread_cleanup_push()

      • _pthread_cleanup_pop()

    • If a target employs pthread_mutex_lock() API, it exports pthread_mutex_lock() and pthread_mutex_trylock() symbol.

    • If a target employs pthread_spin_lock() API, it exports pthread_spin_lock() and pthread_spin_trylock() symbol.

• libdl.so:

  If a target employs any of dlopen(), dlsym(), or dlclose() APIs, it exports all three of them simultaneously.

If the binary file does not export some of the symbols above, use the -u linker switch (for example, specify -Wl,-u__errno_location if you use compiler for linking) to include symbols into the binary file at the linking stage of compilation.