Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File

From	Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com>
Newsgroups	comp.arch.embedded
Subject	Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File
Date	2023-04-27 18:36 +0200
Organization	eMagii
Message-ID	<u2e8ba$205k5$3@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References	<116ff07e-5e25-469a-90a0-9474108aadd3n@googlegroups.com> <pvl24i57aef4vc7bbdk9mvj7sic9dsh64t@4ax.com> <f0afa198-e735-4da1-a16a-82764af3de4dn@googlegroups.com> <u1s76b$o11h$1@dont-email.me>

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Den 2023-04-20 kl. 22:26, skrev David Brown:
> On 20/04/2023 18:45, Rick C wrote:
>> On Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 11:33:28 AM UTC-4, George Neuner
>> wrote:
>>> On Wed, 19 Apr 2023 19:06:33 -0700 (PDT), Rick C 
>>> <gnuarm.del...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> This is a bit of the chicken and egg thing. If you want a embed
>>>> a checksum in a code module to report the checksum, is there a
>>>> way of doing this? It's a bit like being your own grandfather, I
>>>> think.
>>> Take a look at the old xmodem/ymodem CRC. It was designed such
>>> that when the CRC was sent immediately following the data, a
>>> receiver computing CRC over the whole incoming packet (data and CRC
>>> both) would get a result of zero.
>>>
>>> But AFAIK it doesn't work with CCITT equation(s) - you have to use 
>>> xmodem/ymodem.
>>>> I'm not thinking anything too fancy, like a CRC, but rather a
>>>> simple modulo N addition, maybe N being 2^16.
>>> Sorry, I don't know a way to do it with a modular checksum. YMMV,
>>> but I think 16-bit CRC is pretty simple.
>>>
>>> George
>>
>> CRC is not complicated, but I would not know how to calculate an
>> inserted value to force the resulting CRC to zero.  How do you do
>> that?
> 
> You "insert" the value at the end.  Anything else is insane.

In all projects I have been involved with, the application binary starts
with a header looking like this.


MAGIC WORD 1
CRC
Entry Point
Size
other info...
MAGIC WORD 2
APPLICATION_START
...
APPLICATION_END (aligned with flash sector)


The bootloader first checks the two magic words.
It then computes CRC on the header (from Entry Point) to APPLICATION_END

I ported the IAR ielftool (open source) to Linux at
https://github.com/emagii/ielftool

This can insert the CRC in the ELF file, but needs tweaks to work
with an ELF file generated by the GNU tools.

/Ulf


> 
> CRC's are quite good hashes, for suitable sized data.  There are perhaps 
> some special cases, but basically you'd be doing trial-and-error 
> searches to find an inserted value that gives you a zero CRC overall. 
> 2^16 is not an overwhelming search space, but the whole idea is pointless.
> 
>>
>> Even so, I'm not trying to validate the file.  I'm trying to come up
>> with a substitute for a time stamp or version number.  I don't want
>> to have to rely on my consistency in handling the version number
>> correctly.  This would be a backup in case there was more than one
>> version released, even only within the "lab", that were different.  A
>> checksum that could be read by the controlling software would do the
>> job.
> 
> A CRC is fine for that.
> 
>>
>> I have run into this before, where the version number was not a 100%
>> indication of the uniqueness of an executable.  The checksum would be
>> a second indicator.
>>
>> I should mention that I'm not looking for a solution that relies on
>> any specific details of the tools.
>>
> 
> A table-based CRC is easy, runs quickly, and can be quickly ported to 
> pretty much any language (the C and Python code, for example, is almost 
> the same).

Thread

Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-19 19:06 -0700
  Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Niklas Holsti <niklas.holsti@tidorum.invalid> - 2023-04-20 12:14 +0300
    Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-20 06:18 -0700
  Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File "Peter Heitzer" <peter.heitzer@rz.uni-regensburg.de> - 2023-04-20 11:30 +0000
  Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File dalai lamah <antonio12358@hotmail.com> - 2023-04-20 13:47 +0200
    Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-20 06:04 -0700
  Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-20 16:46 +0200
  Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File George Neuner <gneuner2@comcast.net> - 2023-04-20 11:33 -0400
    Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-20 09:45 -0700
      Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-20 22:26 +0200
        Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-27 18:36 +0200
          Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-28 09:12 +0200
            Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-28 10:35 +0200
      Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File George Neuner <gneuner2@comcast.net> - 2023-04-20 16:44 -0400
        Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> - 2023-04-20 22:37 -0700
          Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-21 12:43 +0200
            Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> - 2023-04-21 04:39 -0700
              Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-21 16:50 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> - 2023-04-21 17:29 -0700
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-22 16:57 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> - 2023-04-24 00:32 -0700
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-24 16:37 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> - 2023-05-03 00:15 -0700
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-05-03 14:48 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-05-09 20:42 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-05-10 10:06 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-05-10 12:03 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> - 2023-08-05 01:48 -0700
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> - 2023-08-05 01:42 -0700
        Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Stefan Reuther <stefan.news@arcor.de> - 2023-04-21 19:40 +0200
    Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Tauno Voipio <tauno.voipio@notused.fi.invalid> - 2023-04-20 20:17 +0300
      Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File George Neuner <gneuner2@comcast.net> - 2023-04-20 16:49 -0400
  Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2023-04-20 22:09 -0400
    Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-20 19:41 -0700
      Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2023-04-21 19:30 -0400
  Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Brian Cockburn <brian.cockburn.1959@gmail.com> - 2023-04-21 01:53 -0700
    Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-21 05:12 -0700
      Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-21 17:02 +0200
        Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Brian Cockburn <brian.cockburn.1959@gmail.com> - 2023-04-21 16:56 -0700
          Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-22 17:01 +0200
        Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-21 20:14 -0700
          Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-22 17:13 +0200
            Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-22 09:56 -0700
              Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-22 19:54 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2023-04-22 20:05 +0000
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-23 17:37 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2023-04-23 17:37 +0000
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-23 23:45 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2023-04-23 18:16 -0400
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-24 09:13 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File boB <boB@K7IQ.com> - 2023-04-22 13:41 -0700
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-23 10:34 -0700
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-23 23:58 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-23 15:24 -0700
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-24 09:17 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-24 01:07 -0700
          Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-27 18:42 +0200
            Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-28 09:20 +0200
              Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-28 10:44 +0200
      Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Brian Cockburn <brian.cockburn.1959@gmail.com> - 2023-04-21 16:52 -0700
        Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-21 20:23 -0700
          Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Brian Cockburn <brian.cockburn.1959@gmail.com> - 2023-04-22 07:07 -0700
            Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2023-04-22 10:31 -0400
            Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-22 09:54 -0700
  Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-27 18:26 +0200
    Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> - 2023-04-27 10:09 -0700
      Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Niklas Holsti <niklas.holsti@tidorum.invalid> - 2023-04-27 21:29 +0300
        Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Niklas Holsti <niklas.holsti@tidorum.invalid> - 2023-04-27 21:39 +0300
        Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-27 22:44 +0200
          Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-28 09:38 +0200
            Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-28 10:50 +0200
              Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-28 15:04 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-29 23:03 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-30 16:19 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-05-09 20:34 +0200
                Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-05-10 10:18 +0200
        Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-28 09:33 +0200
      Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-27 22:36 +0200
        Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Niklas Holsti <niklas.holsti@tidorum.invalid> - 2023-04-28 01:10 +0300
          Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-28 10:54 +0200
    Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-28 09:24 +0200
      Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-28 10:56 +0200
        Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2023-04-28 15:09 +0200
          Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-29 23:02 +0200
  Re: Embedding a Checksum in an Image File Ulf Samuelsson <ulf.r.samuelsson@gmail.com> - 2023-04-27 18:27 +0200

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