Abstract
An apparatus, method and program product are provided for securing a computer system. A digital signature of an application is checked, which is loaded into a memory of the computer system configured to contain memory pages. In response to finding a valid digital signature, memory pages containing instructions of the application are set as executable and memory pages other than those containing instructions of the application are set as non-executable. Instructions in executable memory pages are executed. Instructions in non-executable memory pages are prevented from being executed. A page fault is generated in response to an attempt to execute an instruction in a non-executable memory page. In response to the page fault, an exception list of a sequence of instructions is checked for the attempted instruction in the non-executable memory page and if on the list, the page is set to executable and the attempted instruction executed.
Document Type
Patent
Status
Issued
Issue Date
12-31-2013
Patent Number
US 8621238 B1 [8,621,238]
CPC Classification
G06F21/51
Application number
13/190520
Assignees
Government of the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (US)
Filing Date
7-26-2011
Recommended Citation
Kimball, William B. Using Software-based Decision Procedures To Control Instruction-level Execution. United States Patent 8621238 (B1), issued 31 December 2013. https://scholar.afit.edu/patents/57
Included in
Computer and Systems Architecture Commons, Electronic Devices and Semiconductor Manufacturing Commons, Information Security Commons, Software Engineering Commons