diff --git a/channel.c b/channel.c
index 407ce632f..10401d595 100644
--- a/channel.c
+++ b/channel.c
@@ -226,13 +226,16 @@ static char * get_scan_element(const struct iio_channel *chn, size_t *length)
 /* Returns a string containing the XML representation of this channel */
 char * iio_channel_get_xml(const struct iio_channel *chn, size_t *length)
 {
-	size_t len = sizeof("<channel id=\"\" name=\"\" "
-			"type=\"output\" ></channel>")
-		+ strlen(chn->id) + (chn->name ? strlen(chn->name) : 0);
-	char *ptr, *str, **attrs, *scan_element = NULL;
+	ssize_t len;
+	char *ptr, *eptr, *str, **attrs, *scan_element = NULL;
 	size_t *attrs_len, scan_element_len = 0;
 	unsigned int i;
 
+	len = sizeof("<channel id=\"\" type=\"\" ></channel>");
+	len += strnlen(chn->id, MAX_CHN_ID);
+	len += chn->is_output ? sizeof("output") : sizeof("input");
+	len += chn->name ? sizeof(" name= ") + strnlen(chn->name, MAX_CHN_NAME) : 0;
+
 	if (chn->is_scan_element) {
 		scan_element = get_scan_element(chn, &scan_element_len);
 		if (!scan_element)
@@ -260,26 +263,36 @@ char * iio_channel_get_xml(const struct iio_channel *chn, size_t *length)
 	str = malloc(len);
 	if (!str)
 		goto err_free_attrs;
+	ptr = str;
+	eptr = str + len;
 
-	iio_snprintf(str, len, "<channel id=\"%s\"", chn->id);
-	ptr = strrchr(str, '\0');
+	if (len > 0) {
+		ptr += iio_snprintf(str, len, "<channel id=\"%s\"", chn->id);
+		len = eptr - ptr;
+	}
 
-	if (chn->name) {
-		sprintf(ptr, " name=\"%s\"", chn->name);
-		ptr = strrchr(ptr, '\0');
+	if (chn->name && len > 0) {
+		ptr += iio_snprintf(ptr, len, " name=\"%s\"", chn->name);
+		len = eptr - ptr;
 	}
 
-	sprintf(ptr, " type=\"%s\" >", chn->is_output ? "output" : "input");
-	ptr = strrchr(ptr, '\0');
+	if (len > 0) {
+		ptr += iio_snprintf(ptr, len, " type=\"%s\" >", chn->is_output ? "output" : "input");
+		len = eptr - ptr;
+	}
 
-	if (chn->is_scan_element) {
-		strcpy(ptr, scan_element);
+	if (chn->is_scan_element && len > scan_element_len) {
+		memcpy(ptr, scan_element, scan_element_len); /* Flawfinder: ignore */
 		ptr += scan_element_len;
+		len -= scan_element_len;
 	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < chn->nb_attrs; i++) {
-		strcpy(ptr, attrs[i]);
-		ptr += attrs_len[i];
+		if (len > attrs_len[i]) {
+			memcpy(ptr, attrs[i], attrs_len[i]); /* Flawfinder: ignore */
+			ptr += attrs_len[i];
+			len -= attrs_len[i];
+		}
 		free(attrs[i]);
 	}
 
@@ -287,8 +300,19 @@ char * iio_channel_get_xml(const struct iio_channel *chn, size_t *length)
 	free(attrs);
 	free(attrs_len);
 
-	strcpy(ptr, "</channel>");
-	*length = ptr - str + sizeof("</channel>") - 1;
+	if (len > 0) {
+		ptr += iio_strlcpy(ptr, "</channel>", len);
+		len -= sizeof("</channel>") -1;
+	}
+
+	*length = ptr - str;
+
+	if (len < 0) {
+		IIO_ERROR("Internal libIIO error: iio_channel_get_xml str length isssue\n");
+		free(str);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	return str;
 
 err_free_attrs:
diff --git a/context.c b/context.c
index c12395c3d..eed8730c2 100644
--- a/context.c
+++ b/context.c
@@ -53,20 +53,25 @@ static const char xml_header[] = "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\"?>"
 /* Returns a string containing the XML representation of this context */
 char * iio_context_create_xml(const struct iio_context *ctx)
 {
-	size_t len, *devices_len = NULL;
-	char *str, *ptr, **devices = NULL;
+	ssize_t len;
+	size_t *devices_len = NULL;
+	char *str, *ptr, *eptr, **devices = NULL;
 	unsigned int i;
 
-	len = strlen(ctx->name) + sizeof(xml_header) - 1 +
-		sizeof("<context name=\"\" ></context>");
-	if (ctx->description)
-		len += strlen(ctx->description) +
-			sizeof(" description=\"\"") - 1;
+	len = sizeof(xml_header) - 1;
+	len += strnlen(ctx->name, MAX_CTX_NAME);
+	len += sizeof("<context name=\"\" ></context>") - 1;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < ctx->nb_attrs; i++)
-		len += strlen(ctx->attrs[i]) +
-			strlen(ctx->values[i]) +
-			sizeof("<context-attribute name=\"\" value=\"\" />");
+	if (ctx->description) {
+		len += strnlen(ctx->description, MAX_CTX_DESC);
+		len += sizeof(" description=\"\"") - 1;
+	}
+
+	for (i = 0; i < ctx->nb_attrs; i++) {
+		len += strnlen(ctx->attrs[i], MAX_ATTR_NAME);
+		len += strnlen(ctx->values[i], MAX_ATTR_VALUE);
+		len += sizeof("<context-attribute name=\"\" value=\"\" />") - 1;
+	}
 
 	if (ctx->nb_devices) {
 		devices_len = malloc(ctx->nb_devices * sizeof(*devices_len));
@@ -94,32 +99,50 @@ char * iio_context_create_xml(const struct iio_context *ctx)
 		errno = ENOMEM;
 		goto err_free_devices;
 	}
-
-	if (ctx->description) {
-		iio_snprintf(str, len, "%s<context name=\"%s\" "
-				"description=\"%s\" >",
-				xml_header, ctx->name, ctx->description);
-	} else {
-		iio_snprintf(str, len, "%s<context name=\"%s\" >",
-				xml_header, ctx->name);
+	eptr = str + len;
+	ptr = str;
+
+	if (len > 0) {
+		if (ctx->description) {
+			ptr += iio_snprintf(str, len, "%s<context name=\"%s\" "
+					"description=\"%s\" >",
+					xml_header, ctx->name, ctx->description);
+		} else {
+			ptr += iio_snprintf(str, len, "%s<context name=\"%s\" >",
+					xml_header, ctx->name);
+		}
+		len = eptr - ptr;
 	}
 
-	ptr = strrchr(str, '\0');
-
-	for (i = 0; i < ctx->nb_attrs; i++)
-		ptr += sprintf(ptr, "<context-attribute name=\"%s\" value=\"%s\" />",
+	for (i = 0; i < ctx->nb_attrs && len > 0; i++) {
+		ptr += iio_snprintf(ptr, len, "<context-attribute name=\"%s\" value=\"%s\" />",
 				ctx->attrs[i], ctx->values[i]);
-
+		len = eptr - ptr;
+	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ctx->nb_devices; i++) {
-		strcpy(ptr, devices[i]);
-		ptr += devices_len[i];
+		if (len > devices_len[i]) {
+			memcpy(ptr, devices[i], devices_len[i]); /* Flawfinder: ignore */
+			ptr += devices_len[i];
+			len -= devices_len[i];
+		}
 		free(devices[i]);
 	}
 
 	free(devices);
 	free(devices_len);
-	strcpy(ptr, "</context>");
+
+	if (len > 0) {
+		ptr += iio_strlcpy(ptr, "</context>", len);
+		len -= sizeof("</context>") - 1;
+	}
+
+	if (len < 0) {
+		IIO_ERROR("Internal libIIO error: iio_context_create_xml str length isssue\n");
+		free(str);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	return str;
 
 err_free_devices:
diff --git a/device.c b/device.c
index d3ec781c6..e847264a0 100644
--- a/device.c
+++ b/device.c
@@ -65,12 +65,18 @@ static char *get_attr_xml(const char *attr, size_t *length, enum iio_attr_type t
 /* Returns a string containing the XML representation of this device */
 char * iio_device_get_xml(const struct iio_device *dev, size_t *length)
 {
-	size_t len = sizeof("<device id=\"\" name=\"\" ></device>")
-		+ strlen(dev->id) + (dev->name ? strlen(dev->name) : 0);
-	char *ptr, *str, **attrs, **channels, **buffer_attrs, **debug_attrs;
+	ssize_t len;
+	char *ptr, *eptr, *str, **attrs, **channels, **buffer_attrs, **debug_attrs;
 	size_t *attrs_len, *channels_len, *buffer_attrs_len, *debug_attrs_len;
 	unsigned int i, j, k;
 
+	len = sizeof("<device id=\"\" ></device> ") - 1;
+	len += strnlen(dev->id, MAX_DEV_ID);
+	if (dev->name) {
+		len += sizeof(" name=\"\"") - 1;
+		len += strnlen(dev->name, MAX_DEV_NAME);
+	}
+
 	attrs_len = malloc(dev->nb_attrs * sizeof(*attrs_len));
 	if (!attrs_len)
 		return NULL;
@@ -143,21 +149,30 @@ char * iio_device_get_xml(const struct iio_device *dev, size_t *length)
 	str = malloc(len);
 	if (!str)
 		goto err_free_debug_attrs;
+	eptr = str + len;
+	ptr = str;
 
-	iio_snprintf(str, len, "<device id=\"%s\"", dev->id);
-	ptr = strrchr(str, '\0');
+	if (len > 0) {
+		ptr += iio_snprintf(str, len, "<device id=\"%s\"", dev->id);
+		len = eptr - ptr;
+	}
 
-	if (dev->name) {
-		sprintf(ptr, " name=\"%s\"", dev->name);
-		ptr = strrchr(ptr, '\0');
+	if (dev->name && len > 0) {
+		ptr += iio_snprintf(ptr, len, " name=\"%s\"", dev->name);
+		len = eptr - ptr;
 	}
 
-	strcpy(ptr, " >");
-	ptr += 2;
+	if (len > 0) {
+		ptr += iio_strlcpy(ptr, " >", len);
+		len -= 2;
+	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < dev->nb_channels; i++) {
-		strcpy(ptr, channels[i]);
-		ptr += channels_len[i];
+		if (len > channels_len[i]) {
+			memcpy(ptr, channels[i], channels_len[i]); /* Flawfinder: ignore */
+			ptr += channels_len[i];
+			len -= channels_len[i];
+		}
 		free(channels[i]);
 	}
 
@@ -165,8 +180,11 @@ char * iio_device_get_xml(const struct iio_device *dev, size_t *length)
 	free(channels_len);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < dev->nb_attrs; i++) {
-		strcpy(ptr, attrs[i]);
-		ptr += attrs_len[i];
+		if (len > attrs_len[i]) {
+			memcpy(ptr, attrs[i], attrs_len[i]); /* Flawfinder: ignore */
+			ptr += attrs_len[i];
+			len -= attrs_len[i];
+		}
 		free(attrs[i]);
 	}
 
@@ -174,8 +192,11 @@ char * iio_device_get_xml(const struct iio_device *dev, size_t *length)
 	free(attrs_len);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < dev->nb_buffer_attrs; i++) {
-		strcpy(ptr, buffer_attrs[i]);
-		ptr += buffer_attrs_len[i];
+		if (len > buffer_attrs_len[i]) {
+			memcpy(ptr, buffer_attrs[i], buffer_attrs_len[i]); /* Flawfinder: ignore */
+			ptr += buffer_attrs_len[i];
+			len -= buffer_attrs_len[i];
+		}
 		free(buffer_attrs[i]);
 	}
 
@@ -183,16 +204,30 @@ char * iio_device_get_xml(const struct iio_device *dev, size_t *length)
 	free(buffer_attrs_len);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < dev->nb_debug_attrs; i++) {
-		strcpy(ptr, debug_attrs[i]);
-		ptr += debug_attrs_len[i];
+		if (len > debug_attrs_len[i]) {
+			memcpy(ptr, debug_attrs[i], debug_attrs_len[i]); /* Flawfinder: ignore */
+			ptr += debug_attrs_len[i];
+			len -= debug_attrs_len[i];
+		}
 		free(debug_attrs[i]);
 	}
 
 	free(debug_attrs);
 	free(debug_attrs_len);
 
-	strcpy(ptr, "</device>");
-	*length = ptr - str + sizeof("</device>") - 1;
+	if (len > 0) {
+		ptr += iio_strlcpy(ptr, "</device>", len);
+		len -= sizeof("</device>") - 1;
+	}
+
+	*length = ptr - str;
+
+	if (len < 0) {
+		IIO_ERROR("Internal libIIO error: iio_device_get_xml str length isssue\n");
+		free(str);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	return str;
 
 err_free_debug_attrs:
diff --git a/iio-private.h b/iio-private.h
index 7077bbae6..dafcfd841 100644
--- a/iio-private.h
+++ b/iio-private.h
@@ -60,6 +60,15 @@
 #define CLEAR_BIT(addr, bit) \
 	*(((uint32_t *) addr) + BIT_WORD(bit)) &= ~BIT_MASK(bit)
 
+/* 256 is the MAX_NAME (file name) on Linux, 4096 is PAGESIZE */
+#define MAX_CHN_ID 256 /* encoded in the sysfs filename */
+#define MAX_CHN_NAME 256 /* encoded in the sysfs filename */
+#define MAX_DEV_ID 256 /* encoded in the sysfs filename */
+#define MAX_DEV_NAME 256 /* encoded in the sysfs filename */
+#define MAX_CTX_NAME 256    /* nominally "xml" */
+#define MAX_CTX_DESC 256    /* nominally "linux ..." */
+#define MAX_ATTR_NAME 256   /* encoded in the sysfs filename */
+#define MAX_ATTR_VALUE 4096 /* Linux page size, could be anything */
 
 /* ntohl/htonl are a nightmare to use in cross-platform applications,
  * since they are defined in different headers on different platforms.
@@ -289,6 +298,7 @@ void iio_channel_init_finalize(struct iio_channel *chn);
 unsigned int find_channel_modifier(const char *s, size_t *len_p);
 
 char *iio_strdup(const char *str);
+size_t iio_strlcpy(char * __restrict dst, const char * __restrict src, size_t dsize);
 
 int iio_context_add_attr(struct iio_context *ctx,
 		const char *key, const char *value);
diff --git a/utilities.c b/utilities.c
index 85a4813cc..2178f194c 100644
--- a/utilities.c
+++ b/utilities.c
@@ -214,3 +214,46 @@ char *iio_strdup(const char *str)
 	return buf;
 #endif
 }
+
+/* strlcpy is designed to be safer, more consistent, and less error prone
+ * replacements for strncpy, since it guarantees to NUL-terminate the result.
+ *
+ * This function
+ * Copyright (c) 1998, 2015 Todd C. Miller <Todd.Miller@courtesan.com>
+ * https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd/blob/master/sys/libkern/strlcpy.c
+ *
+ * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
+ * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
+ * copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
+ *
+ * Copy string src to buffer dst of size dsize.  At most dsize-1
+ * chars will be copied.  Always NUL terminates (unless dsize == 0).
+ * Returns strlen(src); if retval >= dsize, truncation occurred.
+ *
+ * src is assumed to be null terminated, if it is not, this function will
+ * dereference unknown memory beyond src.
+ */
+size_t iio_strlcpy(char * __restrict dst, const char * __restrict src, size_t dsize)
+{
+	const char *osrc = src;
+	size_t nleft = dsize;
+
+	/* Copy as many bytes as will fit. */
+	if (nleft != 0) {
+		while (--nleft != 0) {
+			if ((*dst++ = *src++) == '\0')
+				break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* Not enough room in dst, add NUL and traverse rest of src. */
+	if (nleft == 0) {
+		if (dsize != 0)
+			*dst = '\0';            /* NUL-terminate dst */
+
+		while (*src++)
+			;
+	}
+
+	return(src - osrc - 1); /* count does not include NUL */
+}