diff --git a/servers/vfs/comm.c b/servers/vfs/comm.c
index 7a96875ec..6358ecb7e 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/comm.c
+++ b/servers/vfs/comm.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ void fs_sendmore(struct vmnt *vmp)
   worker->w_next = NULL;
   sending--;
   assert(sending >= 0);
-  sendmsg(vmp, worker->w_job.j_fp);
+  (void) sendmsg(vmp, worker->w_job.j_fp);
 }
 
 /*===========================================================================*
diff --git a/servers/vfs/dmap.c b/servers/vfs/dmap.c
index 347b14de4..5ce4f73fc 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/dmap.c
+++ b/servers/vfs/dmap.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ int do_mapdriver()
  *				map_driver		 		     *
  *===========================================================================*/
 int map_driver(label, major, proc_nr_e, style, flags)
-const char *label;		/* name of the driver */
+const char label[LABEL_MAX];	/* name of the driver */
 int major;			/* major number of the device */
 endpoint_t proc_nr_e;		/* process number of the driver */
 int style;			/* style of the device */
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ int flags;			/* device flags */
 	len = strlen(label);
 	if (len+1 > sizeof(dp->dmap_label))
 		panic("VFS: map_driver: label too long: %d", len);
-	strcpy(dp->dmap_label, label);
+	strlcpy(dp->dmap_label, label, LABEL_MAX);
   }
 
   /* Store driver I/O routines based on type of device */
diff --git a/servers/vfs/exec.c b/servers/vfs/exec.c
index d4f933ace..2f6acb82e 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/exec.c
+++ b/servers/vfs/exec.c
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ static int get_read_vp(struct vfs_exec_info *execi,
 		char *cp = strrchr(fullpath, '/');
 		if(cp) cp++;
 		else cp = fullpath;
-		strncpy(execi->args.progname, cp, sizeof(execi->args.progname)-1);
+		strlcpy(execi->args.progname, cp, sizeof(execi->args.progname));
 		execi->args.progname[sizeof(execi->args.progname)-1] = '\0';
 	}
 
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ int pm_exec(endpoint_t proc_e, vir_bytes path, size_t path_len,
 
   /* Get the exec file name. */
   FAILCHECK(fetch_name(path, path_len, fullpath));
-  strcpy(finalexec, fullpath);
+  strlcpy(finalexec, fullpath, PATH_MAX);
 
   /* Get_read_vp will return an opened vn in execi.
    * if necessary it releases the existing vp so we can
@@ -261,9 +261,9 @@ int pm_exec(endpoint_t proc_e, vir_bytes path, size_t path_len,
 	 * args to stack and retrieve the new binary
 	 * name into fullpath.
 	 */
-  	FAILCHECK(fetch_name(path, path_len, fullpath));
+	FAILCHECK(fetch_name(path, path_len, fullpath));
 	FAILCHECK(patch_stack(execi.vp, mbuf, &frame_len, fullpath));
-  	strcpy(finalexec, fullpath);
+	strlcpy(finalexec, fullpath, PATH_MAX);
 	Get_read_vp(execi, fullpath, 1, 0, &resolve, fp);
   }
 
@@ -287,13 +287,13 @@ int pm_exec(endpoint_t proc_e, vir_bytes path, size_t path_len,
 	}
 
 	/* Remember it */
-	strcpy(execi.execname, finalexec);
+	strlcpy(execi.execname, finalexec, PATH_MAX);
 
 	/* The executable we need to execute first (loader)
 	 * is in elf_interpreter, and has to be in fullpath to
 	 * be looked up
 	 */
-	strcpy(fullpath, elf_interpreter);
+	strlcpy(fullpath, elf_interpreter, PATH_MAX);
 	Get_read_vp(execi, fullpath, 0, 0, &resolve, fp);
   }
 
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ int pm_exec(endpoint_t proc_e, vir_bytes path, size_t path_len,
   }
 
   /* Remember the new name of the process */
-  strcpy(rfp->fp_name, execi.args.progname);
+  strlcpy(rfp->fp_name, execi.args.progname, PROC_NAME_LEN);
 
 pm_execfinal:
   if (execi.vp != NULL) {
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ static int stack_prepare_elf(struct vfs_exec_info *execi, char *frame, size_t *f
 
 		/* Empty space starts here; we can put the name here. */
 		spacestart = (char *) a;
-		strcpy(spacestart, execi->execname);
+		strlcpy(spacestart, execi->execname, PATH_MAX);
 
 		/* What will the address of the string for the user be */
 		userp = *newsp + (spacestart-frame);
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ int replace
   /* Reposition the strings by offset bytes */
   memmove(stack + a1 + offset, stack + a1, old_bytes - a1);
 
-  strcpy(stack + a0, arg);	/* Put arg in the new space. */
+  strlcpy(stack + a0, arg, PATH_MAX); /* Put arg in the new space. */
 
   if (!replace) {
 	/* Make space for a new argv[0]. */
diff --git a/servers/vfs/filedes.c b/servers/vfs/filedes.c
index 6e1ce8c30..936addcc1 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/filedes.c
+++ b/servers/vfs/filedes.c
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ void init_filps(void)
   struct filp *f;
 
   for (f = &filp[0]; f < &filp[NR_FILPS]; f++) {
-	mutex_init(&f->filp_lock, NULL);
+	if (mutex_init(&f->filp_lock, NULL) != 0)
+		panic("Failed to initialize filp mutex");
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/servers/vfs/link.c b/servers/vfs/link.c
index 128dc1909..6ca231b57 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/link.c
+++ b/servers/vfs/link.c
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ int do_rename()
 	put_vnode(old_dirp);
 	return(ENAMETOOLONG);
   }
-  strcpy(old_name, fullpath);
+  strlcpy(old_name, fullpath, PATH_MAX);
 
   /* See if 'name2' (new name) exists.  Get dir inode */
   lookup_init(&resolve, fullpath, PATH_NOFLAGS, &newvmp, &new_dirp);
diff --git a/servers/vfs/misc.c b/servers/vfs/misc.c
index 7711c7b79..98cc99019 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/misc.c
+++ b/servers/vfs/misc.c
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ int do_dup()
 		unlock_filp(f);		/* or it might deadlock on do_close */
 		(void) close_fd(fp, rfd2);	/* cannot fail */
 		f = get_filp(rfd, VNODE_READ); /* lock old_fd again */
+		if (f == NULL) return(err_code);
 	}
   }
 
@@ -661,7 +662,8 @@ int do_svrctl()
 				r = OK;
 			} else if (!strcmp(search_key, "active_threads")) {
 				int active = NR_WTHREADS - worker_available();
-				sprintf(small_buf, "%d", active);
+				snprintf(small_buf, sizeof(small_buf) - 1,
+					 "%d", active);
 				sysgetenv.vallen = strlen(small_buf);
 				r = OK;
 			}
diff --git a/servers/vfs/mount.c b/servers/vfs/mount.c
index d949543e1..93b2b664b 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/mount.c
+++ b/servers/vfs/mount.c
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ char mount_label[LABEL_MAX] )
 	 * Nothing else can go wrong. Perform the mount. */
 	new_vmp->m_root_node = root_node;
 	new_vmp->m_mounted_on = NULL;
-	strcpy(new_vmp->m_label, mount_label);
+	strlcpy(new_vmp->m_label, mount_label, LABEL_MAX);
 	if (is_nonedev(dev)) alloc_nonedev(dev);
 	update_bspec(dev, fs_e, 0 /* Don't send new driver endpoint */);
 
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ char mount_label[LABEL_MAX] )
   /* Nothing else can go wrong.  Perform the mount. */
   new_vmp->m_mounted_on = vp;
   new_vmp->m_root_node = root_node;
-  strcpy(new_vmp->m_label, mount_label);
+  strlcpy(new_vmp->m_label, mount_label, LABEL_MAX);
 
   /* Allocate the pseudo device that was found, if not using a real device. */
   if (is_nonedev(dev)) alloc_nonedev(dev);
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ void mount_pfs(void)
 
   vmp->m_dev = dev;
   vmp->m_fs_e = PFS_PROC_NR;
-  strcpy(vmp->m_label, "pfs");
+  strlcpy(vmp->m_label, "pfs", LABEL_MAX);
 
   rfp = &fproc[_ENDPOINT_P(PFS_PROC_NR)];
   rfp->fp_flags |= FP_SYS_PROC;	/* PFS is a driver and an FS */
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ int do_umount(void)
    */
   if (strlen(label) >= M3_LONG_STRING)	/* should never evaluate to true */
 	label[M3_LONG_STRING-1] = 0;
-  strcpy(m_out.umount_label, label);
+  strlcpy(m_out.umount_label, label, M3_LONG_STRING);
   return(OK);
 }
 
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ int do_umount(void)
  *===========================================================================*/
 int unmount(
   dev_t dev,			/* block-special device */
-  char *label			/* buffer to retrieve label, or NULL */
+  char label[LABEL_MAX]		/* buffer to retrieve label, or NULL */
 )
 {
   struct vnode *vp;
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ int unmount(
 
   if (is_nonedev(vmp->m_dev)) free_nonedev(vmp->m_dev);
 
-  if (label != NULL) strcpy(label, vmp->m_label);
+  if (label != NULL) strlcpy(label, vmp->m_label, LABEL_MAX);
 
   if (vmp->m_root_node) {	/* PFS lacks a root node */
 	vmp->m_root_node->v_ref_count = 0;
diff --git a/servers/vfs/path.c b/servers/vfs/path.c
index 386fae80c..b3baf5815 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/path.c
+++ b/servers/vfs/path.c
@@ -209,16 +209,16 @@ struct fproc *rfp;
 		/* Just an entry in the current working directory. Prepend
 		 * "./" in front of the path and resolve it.
 		 */
-		strncpy(dir_entry, resolve->l_path, NAME_MAX);
+		strlcpy(dir_entry, resolve->l_path, NAME_MAX+1);
 		dir_entry[NAME_MAX] = '\0';
 		resolve->l_path[0] = '.';
 		resolve->l_path[1] = '\0';
 	} else if (cp[1] == '\0') {
 		/* Path ends in a slash. The directory entry is '.' */
-		strcpy(dir_entry, ".");
+		strlcpy(dir_entry, ".", NAME_MAX+1);
 	} else {
 		/* A path name for the directory and a directory entry */
-		strncpy(dir_entry, cp+1, NAME_MAX);
+		strlcpy(dir_entry, cp+1, NAME_MAX+1);
 		cp[1] = '\0';
 		dir_entry[NAME_MAX] = '\0';
 	}
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ struct fproc *rfp;
 	 * symlink, then we're not at the last directory, yet. */
 
 	/* Copy the directory entry back to user_fullpath */
-	strncpy(resolve->l_path, dir_entry, NAME_MAX + 1);
+	strlcpy(resolve->l_path, dir_entry, NAME_MAX + 1);
 
 	/* Look up the directory entry, but do not follow the symlink when it
 	 * is one.
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ struct fproc *rfp;
   }
 
   /* Copy the directory entry back to user_fullpath */
-  strncpy(resolve->l_path, dir_entry, NAME_MAX + 1);
+  strlcpy(resolve->l_path, dir_entry, NAME_MAX + 1);
 
   /* Turn PATH_RET_SYMLINK flag back on if it was on */
   if (ret_on_symlink) resolve->l_flags |= PATH_RET_SYMLINK;
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ char ename[NAME_MAX + 1];
 		cur = (struct dirent *) (buf + consumed);
 		if (entry->v_inode_nr == cur->d_ino) {
 			/* found the entry we were looking for */
-			strncpy(ename, cur->d_name, NAME_MAX);
+			strlcpy(ename, cur->d_name, NAME_MAX+1);
 			ename[NAME_MAX] = '\0';
 			return(OK);
 		}
@@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ struct fproc *rfp;
   struct lookup resolve;
 
   dir_vp = NULL;
-  strncpy(temp_path, orig_path, PATH_MAX);
+  strlcpy(temp_path, orig_path, PATH_MAX);
   temp_path[PATH_MAX - 1] = '\0';
 
   /* First resolve path to the last directory holding the file */
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ struct fproc *rfp;
 	/* dir_vp points to dir and resolve path now contains only the
 	 * filename.
 	 */
-	strncpy(orig_path, temp_path, NAME_MAX);	/* Store file name */
+	strlcpy(orig_path, temp_path, NAME_MAX+1);	/* Store file name */
 
 	/* check if the file is a symlink, if so resolve it */
 	r = rdlink_direct(orig_path, temp_path, rfp);
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ struct fproc *rfp;
 		break;
 
 	/* encountered a symlink -- loop again */
-	strncpy(orig_path, temp_path, PATH_MAX - 1);
+	strlcpy(orig_path, temp_path, PATH_MAX);
 	symloop++;
   } while (symloop < SYMLOOP_MAX);
 
@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ struct fproc *rfp;
    * here we start building up the canonical path by climbing up the tree */
   while (dir_vp != rfp->fp_rd) {
 
-	strcpy(temp_path, "..");
+	strlcpy(temp_path, "..", NAME_MAX+1);
 
 	/* check if we're at the root node of the file system */
 	if (dir_vp->v_vmnt->m_root_node == dir_vp) {
diff --git a/servers/vfs/proto.h b/servers/vfs/proto.h
index e41883b2a..fea576dd4 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/proto.h
+++ b/servers/vfs/proto.h
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ int is_nonedev(dev_t dev);
 void mount_pfs(void);
 int mount_fs(dev_t dev, char fullpath[PATH_MAX+1], endpoint_t fs_e, int
 	rdonly, char mount_label[LABEL_MAX]);
-int unmount(dev_t dev, char *label);
+int unmount(dev_t dev, char label[LABEL_MAX]);
 void unmount_all(void);
 
 /* open.c */
diff --git a/servers/vfs/utility.c b/servers/vfs/utility.c
index dc5a55019..b69945e85 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/utility.c
+++ b/servers/vfs/utility.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <minix/endpoint.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 #include "file.h"
 #include "fproc.h"
@@ -44,11 +45,9 @@ inline int copy_name( size_t len, char *dest)
 
   if (len <= M3_STRING) {
 	/* Just copy the path from the message */
-	unsigned int count = 0;
 	rpu = &dest[0];
 	rpm = job_m_in.pathname;	/* contained in input message */
-	for (count = 0; count <= len; count++)
-		*rpu++ = *rpm++;
+	strncpy(dest, job_m_in.pathname, len);
   } else {
 	/* String is not contained in the message. */
 	err_code = EINVAL;