Hi,
compiling a project with "Position Independent Executable" (PIE) makes it possible to use "Address Space Layout Randomization" (ASLR) [wikipedia might be of help here] ; something that ubuntu already does by default and debian will quite certainly in the future. As a matter of fact ubuntu already applies the following patch to their flint package:
--- a/Makefile.subdirs
+++ b/Makefile.subdirs
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
$(QUIET_CC) $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(INCS) -c $< -o $@ -MMD -MP -MF "$(BUILD_DIR)/$(MOD_DIR)_$*.d" -MT "$(BUILD_DIR)/$(MOD_DIR)_$*.d" -MT "$@"
$(MOD_LOBJ): $(LOBJS)
- $(QUIET_CC) $(CC) $(ABI_FLAG) -Wl,-r $^ -o $@ -nostdlib
+ $(QUIET_CC) $(CC) $(ABI_FLAG) -r $^ -o $@ -nostdlib
I thought it would be better to forward the information before I do anything to the official Debian package for flint : I still have to decide on whether I add the patch to the current 2.5.2 or I wait for the next release (to which I'll add the patch if it isn't applied yet). Is a next release near?
Cheers,
Snark on #debian-science