Patent ID: 7849444

Claim:
A computer accessible memory medium comprising program instructions executable to: include a first test executive step in a test executive sequence in response to user input; configure the first test executive step to call a first user-supplied code module, wherein the first user-supplied code module uses a buffer parameter; and execute the test executive sequence, wherein said executing comprises executing the first test executive step in the test executive sequence; wherein said executing the first test executive step comprises: allocating a memory block for the buffer parameter from a heap, wherein said allocating the memory block comprises allocating space for storing data for the buffer parameter and space for storing guard bits for the buffer parameter; copying one or more guard bits into at least one end of the memory block; and invoking execution of the first user-supplied code module called by the first test executive step, wherein said invoking execution of the first user-supplied code module comprises passing the first user-supplied code module a pointer into the memory block for the buffer parameter; wherein the one or more guard bits are useable for one or more of detecting if the first user-supplied code module writes outside the space for storing data for the buffer parameter and/or preventing the first user-supplied code module from corrupting data on the heap if the first user-supplied code module writes outside the space for storing data for the buffer parameter; wherein said executing the test executive sequence comprises executing the test executive sequence under control of a test executive engine, and wherein, in executing the first test executive step, the test executive engine performs said allocating the memory block, said copying the one or more guard bits, and said invoking execution of the first user-supplied code module called by the first test executive step.