Abstract
This paper presents an efficient approach to concurrent detection of program execution errors that combines signature monitoring with program encryption. Sources of detectable errors include permanent and transient hardware faults, software and hardware design faults, and computer viruses. Errors are detected by a simple monitor that uses signatures embedded in a compatibly encrypted program. The monitor concurrently decrypts the program using the processor control-bit sequences that are included in the signatures. Computer virus attacks are difficult because details of the processor’s internal operation are needed to attach compatibly encrypted code. Encryption and a small signature cache added to the monitor allow the lowest memory overhead of any proposed signature-monitoring technique. Encryption and the program memory’s error correction/detection code are combined to reduce signature-error detection latency by more than 60 times, while maintaining memory error correction/detection.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
A. Aho, R. Sethi and J. Ullman, Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools, (Addison-Wesley, 1985).
H. Beker and F. Piper, Cipher Systems: The Protection of Communications, (John Wiley, 1982).
F. Cohen, “Computer Viruses: Theory and Experiments”, pp. 240–263, 7th National Computer Security Conf., (Sept. 1984).
F. Cohen, “A Cryptographic Checksum for Integrity Protection”, Computers & Security 6, 6 (Dec. 1987), 505–510.
P. Denning, “Computer Viruses”, American Scientist 76, (May-June 1988), 236–238.
National Bureau of Standards, Data Encryption Standard, FIPS Publication 46, U.S. Department of Commerce, (1977).
A. Herzberg and S. Pinter, “Public Protection of Software”, ACM Transactions on Computer Systems 5, 4 (November 1987), 371–393.
M. Hsiao, “A Class of Optimal Minimum Odd-Weight-Column SEC-DED Codes”, IBM Journal of Research & Development 14, 4 (July 1970), 395–401.
M. Joseph and A. Avizienis, “A Fault Tolerance Approach to Computer Viruses”, pp. 52–58, Proc. Symp. on Security and Privacy, IEEE, (1988).
M. Joseph, “Architectural Issues in Fault-Tolerant, Secure Computing Systems”, Ph.D. Dissertation, T.R. #CSD-880047, UCLA Computer Science Dept., (1988).
S. Lin, An Introduction to Error-Correcting Codes, (Prentice Hall, 1970).
A. Mahmood and E. McCluskey, “Concurrent Error Detection Using Watchdog Processors — A Survey”, IEEE Transactions on Computers 37, 2 (February 1988), 160–174.
M. Namjoo, “Techniques for Testing of VLSI Processor Operation”, pp. 461–468, Proc. 12th ITC, IEEE, (1982).
M. Namjoo, “Cerberus-16: An Architecture For a General Purpose Watchdog Processor”, pp. 216–219, Proc. 13th FTCS, IEEE, (1983).
M. Schmid, R. Trapp, A. Davidoff and G. Masson, “Upset Exposure by Means of Abstraction Verification”, pp. 237–244, Proc. 12th FTCS, IEEE, (1982).
M. Schuette and J. Shen, “Processor Control Flow Monitoring Using Signatured Instruction Streams”, IEEE Transactions on Computers C-36, 3 (March 1987), 264–276.
E. Spafford, “The Internet Worm: Crisis and Aftermath”, Communications of the ACM 32, 6 (June 1989), 678–687.
T. Sridhar and S. Thatte, “Concurrent Checking of Program Flow in VLSI Processors”, pp. 191–199, Proc 12th ITC, IEEE, (1982).
H. Stone, High-Performance Computer Architecture, (Addison-Wesley, 1987).
Y. Tamir, M. Tremblay and D. Rennels, “The Implementation and Application of Micro Rollback in Fault-Tolerant VLSI Systems”, pp. 234–239, Proc. 18th FTCS, IEEE, (1988).
K. Wilken and J. Shen, “Embedded Signature Monitoring: Analysis and Technique”, pp. 324–333, Proc. 17th ITC, IEEE, (1987).
K. Wilken and J. Shen, “Continuous Signature Monitoring: Efficient Concurrent-Detection of Processor Control Errors”, pp. 914–925, Proc. 18th ITC, IEEE, (1988).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1991 Springer-Verlag/Wien
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wilken, K., Shen, J.P. (1991). Concurrent Error Detection using Signature Monitoring and Encryption. In: Avižienis, A., Laprie, JC. (eds) Dependable Computing for Critical Applications. Dependable Computing and Fault-Tolerant Systems, vol 4. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-9123-1_17
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-9123-1_17
Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna
Print ISBN: 978-3-7091-9125-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-9123-1
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive