Protecting an item of software

A method of facilitating execution of an item of software by a computer, the method comprising an address system performing the steps of:

• receiving, from the computer, a request message for an address of instructions for carrying out a predetermined function of the item of software, the request message comprising an identifier of the predetermined function;
• receiving, from at least one of a plurality of security modules being executed by the computer, verification data, wherein each of the security modules is arranged to perform a respective security-related operation different from the respective security-related operation performed by each of the other security modules;
• generating an address based, at least in part, on (a) the identifier and (b) the verification data;
• providing the generated address to the computer for the computer to continue execution of the item of software at the provided address.

An apparatus comprising a processor, the processor arranged to execute an item of software by:

• executing a plurality of security modules, wherein each of the security modules is arranged to perform a respective security-related operation different from the respective security-related operation performed by each of the other security modules;
• executing the item of software, said executing the item of software comprising, at at least one point during execution of the item of software at which a predetermined function is to be performed, attempting to perform the predetermined function by:
• sending, to an address system, a request message for an address of instructions for carrying out the predetermined function, the request message comprising an identifier of the predetermined function;
• receiving, from the address system in response to the request message, an address generated by the address system based, at least in part, on (a) the identifier and (b) verification data provided to the address system from at least one of the plurality of security modules;
• and
• continuing execution of the item of software at the address received from the address system.

An apparatus comprising a processor, the processor arranged to facilitate execution of an item of software by a computer by:

• receiving, from the computer, a request message for an address of instructions for carrying out a predetermined function of the item of software, the request message comprising an identifier of the predetermined function;
• receiving, from at least one of a plurality of security modules being executed by the computer, verification data, wherein each of the security modules is arranged to perform a respective security-related operation different from the respective security-related operation performed by each of the other security modules;
• generating an address based, at least in part, on (a) the identifier and (b) the verification data;
• providing the generated address to the computer for the computer to continue execution of the item of software at the provided address.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

• execute a plurality of security modules, wherein each of the security modules is arranged to perform a respective security-related operation different from the respective security-related operation performed by each of the other security modules;
• execute the item of software, execution of the item of software comprising, at at least one point during execution of the item of software at which a predetermined function is to be performed, attempting to perform the predetermined function by:
• sending, to an address system, a request message for an address of instructions for carrying out the predetermined function, the request message comprising an identifier of the predetermined function;
• receiving, from the address system in response to the request message, an address generated by the address system based, at least in part, on (a) the identifier and (b) verification data provided to the address system from at least one of the plurality of security modules;
• and
• continuing execution of the item of software at the address received from the address system.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to facilitate execution of an item of software by a computer by:

• receiving, from the computer, a request message for an address of instructions for carrying out a predetermined function of the item of software, the request message comprising an identifier of the predetermined function;
• receiving, from at least one of a plurality of security modules being executed by the computer, verification data, wherein each of the security modules is arranged to perform a respective security-related operation different from the respective security-related operation performed by each of the other security modules;
• generating an address based, at least in part, on (a) the identifier and (b) the verification data;
• providing the generated address to the computer for the computer to continue execution of the item of software at the provided address.