Flater, D.
(2015),
Defensive code's impact on software performance, Technical Note (NIST TN), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.1860 (Accessed May 10, 2026)
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Defensive code's impact on software performance
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Author(s)
Abstract
Defensive code is instructions added to software for the purpose of hardening it against uncontrolled failures and security problems. It is often assumed that defensive code causes a significant reduction in software performance, which justifies its omission from all but the most security-critical applications. We performed an experiment to measure the application- level performance impact of seven defensive code options on two different workloads in four different environments. Of the seven options, only one yielded clear evidence of a significant reduction in performance; the main effects of the other six were either materially or statistically insignificant.Citation
Technical Note (NIST TN) - 1860
Report Number
1860
NIST Pub Series
Pub Type
NIST Pubs
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Created January 26, 2015, Updated May 7, 2026