EXECUTION FLOW PROTECTION IN MICROCONTROLLERS

摘要

An execution flow protection module (30) for a microcontroller (10) with a memory (24) and a microprocessor (20) is described. The module (30) is configured to monitor the memory (24) access of the microcontroller (10) to identify instructions fetched by the microcontroller (10) from the memory (24) for execution by the microprocessor (20). The module (30) comprises an instruction decoder unit (32) for determining a program counter value associated with the execution flow of the instructions fetched by the microcontroller (10); a program counter predictor unit (34) for predicting the program counter value of the next fetched instruction; and an interrupt module (40) for responding if the next instruction fetched by the microcontroller does not match the predicted program counter value.

主权项

1. An execution flow protection module for a microcontroller with a memory and a microprocessor, said module configured to monitor the memory access of the microcontroller to identify instructions fetched by the microcontroller from the memory for execution by the microprocessor, said module comprising:
an instruction decoder unit for determining a program counter value associated with the execution flow of the instructions fetched by the microcontroller; a program counter predictor unit for predicting the next program counter value of a next instruction to be fetched; and an interrupt module for responding if the next instruction fetched by the microcontroller does not match the predicted next program counter value.