Method for safely instrumenting large binary code
US7269828B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 9, 2002 |
| Grant date | Sep 11, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 30, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F8/60
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method is provided for safely editing a binary code to be executed on a computer system. The method allows the binary code to be directly edited without compromising its integrity. More specifically, a larger binary code is transformed into a number of smaller binary code segments having sizes within a reference range of a control transfer function such as a branch instruction. A branch slamming operation can then used to displace a binary instruction contained within a smaller binary code segment with a branch instruction referring to a binary patch that is appended to the smaller binary code segment. The binary instruction displaced by the branch instruction is preserved in the binary patch. Upon completion of the binary patch execution, the smaller binary code segment continues executing with a binary instruction immediately following the branch instruction. The method for safely editing the binary code is particularly useful with large binary codes having sizes greater than the reference range of the control transfer function.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.