Rust is now starting to reach Windows developers as Microsoft tries to secure some of its most important core code.
Windows operating system security director David Weston explained that Windows will launch with Rust in “the next few weeks or months” and true to its word the company is rewriting the core libraries in memory-safe code.
He continued to explain the company’s goal of converting C++ data types to their Rust equivalents, announcing “very few calls to unsafe code” in a nod to the company’s success.
Rust for Windows
Memory-safe code has been an increasing topic of discussion in recent years, given the potential for bugs in the code that can affect any electronic device with software or firmware. Rust was designed to prevent exploitable code from being shipped in the first place, making Windows more secure in this case.
Microsoft’s involvement in Rust is not unique, as Google already announced its willingness to introduce a coding language in Android two years ago, stating that “memory security bugs in C and C++ continue to be the most difficult source of invalidity to solve.” Rust joined Kotlin and Java as part of the Android Open Source Project.
DWriteCore in Windows 10 and above was already part of the Rust revolution and now has many more lines of Rust code than C++.
According to Weston, who has suggested a safer future for Windows, the move to Rust is one where the company’s developers face the oldest challenges of the operating system.
In Tel Aviv presentation (opens in a new tab)explained that “as much as we love Rust, we know it’s probably not a solution to rewrite C and C++ code for the last 40 years in Rust”, pointing out that “a broader approach” may outline a future where Rust may not be a comprehensive solution.
By Register (opens in a new tab)