International Business Machines Corporation
HARDWARE SUPPORT FOR SOFTWARE POINTER AUTHENTIFICATION IN A COMPUTING SYSTEM

Abstract:

A processor and method for processing information is disclosed that in response to encountering a function entry instruction while running an application, computes an entry hash value using a hash of three hash input parameters, wherein one of the input parameters is a secret key stored in the special purpose register; and in response to encountering a function exit instruction, computes an exit hash value using the same three input parameters and the same hash used when computing the entry hash value; and determines if the entry hash value is the same as the exit hash value.