System and method for correct execution of software based on baseline and real time information

摘要

In an embodiment of the invention an application provider may include “tracing elements” in a target software application. While working with the application the trace elements are detected and provide a “baseline trace” indicating proper application execution. The provider then supplies the application, which still includes the trace elements, and the baseline trace to a user. The user operates the application to produce a “real-time trace” based on the application still having trace elements that produce trace events. A comparator then compares the baseline and real-time traces. If the traces are within a pre-determined range of each other the user has a level of assurance the software is operating correctly. If the level of assurance is low, an embodiment may trigger a hardware interrupt or similar event to prevent further execution of software. Other embodiments are described herein.

主权项

1. At least one non-transitory machine readable medium comprising instructions that when executed on a computing device cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:
loading first executable instructions; determining whether the first executable instructions correspond to first baseline information; wherein the first baseline information is included, along with second baseline information, in at least one memory coupled to at least one processor; loading the first baseline information, but not the second baseline information, in response to the first executable instructions corresponding to the first baseline information; executing the first executable instructions to determine first real time information; comparing the first baseline information to the first real time information to determine a first variance between the first baseline information and the first real time information; and discontinuing execution of the first executable instructions, based on the first variance, before the first executable instructions are completely executed; wherein the first baseline information includes a first baseline instruction count differential between two locations within the first executable instructions and the first real time information includes a first real time instruction count differential between the two locations.