Explosive overflow: Lessons from rocket science

The Ariane 5 rocket explosion in 1996 was caused by an integer overflow error in the Inertial Reference System, leading to self-destruction 40 seconds after launch

Key failures included:

• Design errors and undocumented assumptions
• Software reuse without proper validation
• Unnecessary legacy code running during launch
• Insufficient testing and analysis
• Mishandled exceptions

Important lessons for software security:

• Document and validate all assumptions
• Test with specific use cases, not just generic scenarios
• Don’t assume hardware failures when encountering errors
• Properly handle exceptions and errors
• Remove unnecessary legacy code

Security improvements require:

• Compatibility with engineering culture
• Psychological safety for engineering teams
• Balance between security requirements and development friction
• Comprehensive system testing, not just component testing
• Multiple layers: static analysis, formal verification, safe languages

Formal verification and memory-safe languages like Rust can help but:

• Are not complete solutions by themselves
• Need to be implemented gradually
• Must work within practical constraints
• Should focus on critical components first
• Need to consider broader system context

Security is an emergent property that requires:

• Looking at the complete system
• Testing assumptions thoroughly
• Proper error handling
• Regular validation of design decisions
• Understanding operational context