Invalidating memory contents after patching software

A system comprising:

• a processing unit;
• and
• a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to:
• overwrite a portion of a function with instructions that redirect execution to a patched version of the function;
• store a record of a first plurality of threads executing within a first plurality of processes that have loaded the function;
• iteratively enumerate a second plurality of threads executing within the first plurality of processes that have loaded the function until the first plurality of threads have exited or the first plurality of processes have exited;
• and
• render at least a portion of a function body of the function inoperable.

A computer-readable storage device having encoded thereon computer-readable instructions that when executed by a processing unit causes a system to:

• overwrite a portion of a function with instructions that redirect execution to a revised version of the function, wherein the function is instrumented with:
• an entry counter that increments a count when a thread enters the function;
• an exit counter that decrements the count when the thread exits the function;
• determine that the count equals zero;
• and
• render a function body of the function inoperable.