CPU obfuscation for cloud applications

Apparatus, comprising:

• a set of machines including a first machine with a first processor and a first computer memory;
• the first computer memory holding computer program instructions executed by the first processor to deploy system images to others of the set of machines, the computer program instructions comprising:
• program code, operative for providing a reprogrammable microcode layer to replace a hardware instruction set, the reprogrammable microcode layer containing a set of original operation codes;
• program code, operative for generating a first transform of the set of original operation codes producing a first set of transformed operation codes;
• program code, operative for generating a first transformed microcode which incorporates the first set of transformed operation codes instead of the set of original operation codes;
• program code, operative for compiling an operating system and an application using the first set of transformed operation codes to produce a first cross compiled operating system and application;
• and
• program code, operative for deploying a system image including the first transformed microcode, the first cross compiled operating system and application to a respective first one of the set of machines, the first one of the machines equipped with a softcore processor.

A computer program product in a non-transitory computer readable medium for use in a data processing system, the computer program product holding computer program instructions executed by the data processing system to deploy system images to a set of machines, the computer program instructions comprising:

• program code, operative for providing a reprogrammable microcode layer to replace a hardware instruction set, the reprogrammable microcode layer containing a set of original operation codes;
• program code, operative for generating a first transform of the set of original operation codes producing a first set of transformed operation codes;
• program code, operative for generating a first transformed microcode which incorporates the first set of transformed operation codes instead of the set of original operation codes;
• program code, operative for compiling an operating system and an application using the first set of transformed operation codes to produce a first cross compiled operating system and application;
• and
• program code, operative for deploying a system image including the first transformed microcode, the first cross compiled operating system and application to a respective first one of the set of machines, wherein the first one of the machines is equipped with a softcore processor.