Error-prone interactions between software and memory1 are widely understood to create safety issues in software. It is estimated that about 70% of severe vulnerabilities2 in memory-unsafe codebases are due to memory safety bugs. Malicious actors exploit these vulnerabilities and continue to create real-world harm. In 2023, Google’s threat intelligence teams conducted an industry-wide study and observed a close to all-time high number of vulnerabilities exploited in the wild. Our internal analysis estimates that 75% of CVEs used in zero-day exploits are memory safety vulnerabilities.
At Google, we have been mindful of these issues for over two decades, and are on a journey to continue advancing the state of memory safety in the software we consume and produce. Our Secure by Design commitment emphasizes integrating security considerations, including robust memory safety practices, throughout the entire software development lifecycle. This proactive approach fosters a safer and more trustworthy digital environment for everyone.
This post builds upon our previously reported Perspective on Memory Safety, and introduces our strategic approach to memory safety.
Our journey so far
Google’s journey with memory safety is deeply intertwined with the evolution of the software industry itself. In our early days, we recognized the importance of balancing performance with safety. This led to the early adoption of memory-safe languages like Java and Python, and the creation of Go. Today these languages comprise a large portion of our code, providing memory safety among other benefits. Meanwhile, the rest of ou
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