When you compile a program it produces an OBJECT file. A number of these object files (along with library files) are combined into an EXECUTABLE file by the LINKER. It is the linker’s responsibility to combine the objects and resolve as many references as possible and produce an executable format file. The LOADER Is responsible for converting the executable image on disk to a runnable process in memory. This involves the relocation of the program to its starting point in memory as well as any dynamic linking and loading.
Task:
Write a loader that can actually load a Linux executable file and execute it. This will require understanding the executable file format. Use the Hexdump program provided as part of the File System project as the program to load and run. Hint: look a mprotect, and mmap for allocating the memory needed. You will execute it under your own process (no need to fork).
Requirements:
This project must be coded in C, be well documented, and code segments copied must be attributed and must not be complete components of the project. Your program must allocate the memory for and jump to executing the loaded program (don’t forget the arguments). In addition to your source code file, include a short writeup on what you did and how you did it, include diagrams where appropriate.