Compiling executable code into a less-trusted address space

Abstract

Unsafe application programs that implement managed code can be executed in a secure fashion. In particular, an operating system can be configured to execute an application program in user mode, but handle managed code compilation through a type-safe JIT compiler operating in kernel mode. The operating system can also designate a single memory location to be accessed through multiple address spaces with different permission sets. An application program operating in user mode can be executed in the read / execute address space, while the JIT compiler operates in a read / write address space. When encountering one or more pointers to intermediate language code, the application runtime can send one or more compilation requests to a kernel mode security component, which validates the requests. If validated, the JIT compiler will compile the requested intermediate language code, and the application program can access the compiled code from a shared memory heap.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]N / ABACKGROUND[0002]1. Background and Relevant Art[0003]As computerized systems have increased in popularity, so have the various application programs used on the computerized systems. In particular, there are now a wide range of applications programs configured for any number of purposes, whether to function as complex operating systems, databases, and so forth, or as a simple calculator. In many cases, software developers will write new application programs with a particular operating system in mind, using any number of appropriate languages. Once the software is complete, the developer will compile the application into machine-executable code, which can then be installed on a computer system with the appropriate operating system.[0004]One will appreciate, therefore, that there are a number of considerations that often must considered by developers of operating systems as well as of the individual application programs. Many of these inte...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

Problems solved by technology

In some cases, the security and stability requirements can cause some application programs to have slower execution and / or lower-performance.

Unfortunately, some recent trends in application program developing complicates various aspects of the above-mentioned security management approaches.

Thus, if the intermediate language code were not type-safe (or conforming to some other program code restrictions), a malicious party could trick the JIT compiler into generating harmful instructions that are executed.

Unfortunately, program code restrictions such as type-safety are often believed to conflict with speed and performance considerations.

This can be particularly problematic for video game applications, where speed and performance considerations are placed at a premium.

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