Cisco Systems, Inc.
Monitoring real-time processor instruction stream execution

Abstract:

In one example embodiment, a computing device has a processor that executes a processor instruction stream that causes the processor to perform one or more operations for the computing device. The computing device generates one or more trace data packets including a first instruction pointer of the processor instruction stream, a second instruction pointer of the processor instruction stream subsequent to the first instruction pointer, and a string of characters derived from instructions associated with a control flow transfer between the first instruction pointer of the processor instruction stream and the second instruction pointer of the processor instruction stream. The computing device determines whether the one or more trace data packets are consistent with a secure processor instruction stream known or determined to be secure from malicious processor instructions and, if not, generates an indication that the processor instruction stream is not secure.