Apparatus and method for flexible processor security and authenticated code execution

A method comprising:

• storing an authenticated code module (ACM) in a secure memory of a processor and validating the ACM;
• determining a microarchitecture of the processor;
• parsing a header of the ACM to determine an entry point for processing the ACM in accordance with the microarchitecture;
• reading a value for a first control register, a value for a second control register, and a value for a return instruction pointer (RIP) from the header of the ACM;
• and
• storing the values in the first control register, second control register, and RIP register, respectively, while performing ACM processing.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform:

• storing an authenticated code module (ACM) in a secure memory of a processor and validating the ACM;
• determining a microarchitecture of the processor;
• parsing a header of the ACM to determine an entry point for processing the ACM in accordance with the microarchitecture;
• reading a value for a first control register, a value for a second control register, and a value for a return instruction pointer (RIP) from the header of the ACM;
• and
• storing the values in the first control register, second control register, and RIP register, respectively, while performing ACM processing.