Methods and systems for recursive descent parsing

A computing device, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• memory;
• and
• one or more programs stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
• receiving an executable file;
• disassembling the executable file to form source text;
• identifying syntax of the source text by performing a recursive descent parsing of the source text, including matching grammar rules to the source text;
• generating an abstract syntax tree (AST) for the source text based on the identified syntax;
• generating a transformed AST from the generated AST by replacing each of one or more calls to kernel system functions with a respective call to a respective protected system function that performs security checks and calls the respective kernel system function when the security checks are passed;
• and
• generating a secured executable file by assembling the transformed AST.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computing device having one or more processors and memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

• receiving an executable file;
• disassembling the executable file to form source text;
• identifying syntax of the source text by performing a recursive descent parsing of the source text, including matching grammar rules to the source text;
• generating an abstract syntax tree (AST) for the source text based on the identified syntax;
• generating a transformed AST from the generated AST by replacing each of one or more calls to kernel system functions with a respective call to a respective protected system function that performs security checks and calls the respective kernel system function when the security checks are passed;
• and
• generating a secured executable file by assembling the transformed AST.