Systems and methods for defeating stack-based cyber attacks by randomizing stack frame size

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions for defending against stack-based cybersecurity attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in buffer overflows of a stack register included as part of a random access memory (RAM) configured for storing local variables of a function included in a program binary, wherein the instructions when executed by a processor of an electronic device cause the processor to:

• generate random number offset;
• determine a size of the stack space originally requested by the program binary;
• generate a randomized stack size by adding the random number offset to the size of the stack space originally requested by the program binary;
• replace one or more instructions including the size of the stack space with the randomized stack size;
• upon entry of program flow into the function, allocate stack space on the stack register in accordance with the randomized stack size;
• and
• upon exit of program flow into the function, de-allocate the allocated stack space.

An apparatus for defending against stack-based cybersecurity attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in buffer overflows comprising:

• at least one random access memory (RAM) storing a stack register configured for storing local variables of a function included in a program binary;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the at least one RAM, the at least one processor configured for:
• generating a random number offset;
• determining a size of the stack space originally requested by the program binary;
• generating a randomized stack size by adding the random number offset to the size of the stack space originally requested by the program binary;
• replacing one or more instructions including the size of the stack space with the randomized stack size;
• upon entry of program flow into the function, allocating stack space on the stack register in accordance with the randomized stack size;
• and
• upon exit of program flow into the function, de-allocating the allocated stack space.