ScienceDaily (January 27, 2011) operating system (OS) is the backbone of your PC. If the operating system is compromised, attackers can take over your computer or crash it. Now researchers at the University of North Carolina have developed an efficient system that utilizes hardware and software to restore the operating system if it is attacked.
In each issue are security attacks where the outside party successfully compromises a computer application (such as a Web browser) and then uses the application to access the operating system. For example, the compromised application could result in "system call" operating system, effectively asking the operating system to perform a particular function. However, instead of routine function, the attacker will use the system call to try to gain control of the operating system.
"Our goal is to give the ability to survive such attacks, the operating system," says Dr. Yan Solihin, Professor of the partner computer engineering and power in NC co-author of a paper describing the new system. "Our approach has three elements: the attack detection; Security fault isolation; And recovery. "
The idea is to take a picture of the operating system while strategies points (such as system calls or interrupts), when functioning as usual, then, if attacked the operating system, to delete what they did since the picture was taken last "good" – effectively back in time before attacking OS. The engine also allows the operating system to identify the source of the attack and isolate it, so the operating system will no longer be vulnerable to attacks from the same application.
The idea of identifying attacks, re-setting system into safe mode is a well-known technique for restoring the normal functions of the system after a failure, but this is the first time that researchers have developed a system with the security element of fault isolation. This critical component prevents the operating system to attack it ???????? over and over again.
The idea of taking images of the operating system and using it to replace the operating system if it is a candidate was previously viewed as practical, because taking these images, and running the system such as significantly slowdown your computer operating speeds. "But we've developed the hardware support that allows the operating system to combine these elements of survival more efficiently, so they take up less time and energy," says Solihin. Researchers say survival system takes up less than 5 percent of the operating system overhead.
The paper, "an architectural Framework for operating system support, survival" was co-authored Solihin, student NC State ph. d. Former Jiang Xiaowei. The paper will be February 16 at IEEE International Convention on the high-performance computer architecture in San Antonio, Texas. The research supported, in part, by the National Science Foundation.
NC State Department of Electrical engineering methods computer is part of the College of engineering of the University.
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