Improved Kernel Security Through Code Validation, Diversification, and Minimization

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Author

Dannie M. Stanley

Tech report number

CERIAS TR 2013-19

Entry type

phdthesis

Abstract

The vast majority of hosts on the Internet, including mobile clients, are running one of three commodity, general-purpose operating system families. In such operating systems the kernel software executes at the highest processor privilege level. If an adversary is able to hijack the kernel software then by extension he has full control of the system. This control includes the ability to disable protection mechanisms and hide evidence of compromise. The lack of diversity in commodity, general-purpose operating systems enables attackers to craft a single kernel exploit that has the potential to infect millions of hosts. If enough variants of the vulnerable software exist, then mass exploitation is much more difficult to achieve. We introduce novel kernel diversification techniques to improve kernel security.

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Date

2013 – 12 – 1

Key alpha

Stanley

School

Purdue University

Publication Date

2013-12-01

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@Phdthesis{ Stanley,
	title = "Improved Kernel Security Through Code Validation, Diversification, and Minimization",
	author = "Dannie M. Stanley",
	year = "2013",
	month = "12",
	school = "Purdue University",
	day = "1",
	abstract = "The vast majority of hosts on the Internet, including mobile clients, are running one of three commodity, general-purpose operating system families. In such operating systems the kernel software executes at the highest processor privilege level. If an adversary is able to hijack the kernel software then by extension he has full control of the system. This control includes the ability to disable protection mechanisms and hide evidence of compromise.

The lack of diversity in commodity, general-purpose operating systems enables attackers to craft a single kernel exploit that has the potential to infect millions of hosts. If enough variants of the vulnerable software exist, then mass exploitation is much more difficult to achieve. We introduce novel kernel diversification techniques to improve kernel security.",
}