Protecting application programs from malicious software or malware by protecting objects from external code

摘要

An apparatus includes a memory to store a secure object 210 comprising at least one of code and data that is encrypted when stored in the memory and a central processing unit (CPU) 201 that is capable of executing an EnterSecureMode (esm) instruction that enables the decryption of the secure object's information when the secure object information is retrieved from the memory into the CPU. The CPU further comprises a feature to protect the secure object from code received from other software. The protection feature is preferably such that the CPU comprises at least one register defining an address range that provides at least one of a "read-only" and a "no-execute" range for a secure object.