Protected execution environments within a computer system

A method for operating a computer system with a protected execution environment, the method comprising:

• executing a configuration utility to categorize a plurality of applications installed on the computer system as authorized or not authorized to modify the protected execution environment;
• defining the protected execution environment based on the authorized applications;
• and
• installing a protected execution agent in a file system to intercept input/output requests submitted by the applications, wherein the protected execution agent directs an input/output request to an alternate environment if the application that submitted the request is not authorized and the request is directed to the protected execution environment, and wherein the protected execution agent is installed in a hook chain in a file system manager to intercept the input/output requests before the requests are processed by any other agent installed in the hook chain.

A system to provide a protected execution environment on a computer, the system comprising:

• an execution agent to:
• intercept an input/output request for a file from an application;
• determine if the application is authorized to modify the protected execution environment, wherein determining if the application is authorized to modify the protected execution environment comprises designating the application as not authorized to modify the protected execution environment if the application was invoked by another application that is not authorized to modify the protected execution environment;
• create a redirected input/output request to an alternate environment when the application is not authorized to modify the protected execution environment and the file is within the protected execution environment;
• and
• submit the redirected input/output request to a file system manager.