Protection against return oriented programming attacks

A processor comprising:

• at least one core to execute a checked return instruction to:
• pop a return pointer and a check value off a call stack;
• determine whether the check value was generated from a secret Return Oriented Programming (ROP) value, wherein the secret ROP value is only accessible to an operating system and is to be generated at a beginning of a session and stored in a secure location, the secret ROP value corresponding to a salt value and to be generated based on a ROP security level;
• and
• in response to determining that the check value was generated from the secret ROP value, validate that the return pointer is not part of a ROP attack,
• wherein the at least one core comprises at least one hardware component and a control register including at least one bit to indicate whether a ROP logic is enabled.

A method, comprising:

• obtaining, via a Return Oriented Programming (ROP) logic of a processor, a check value and a return pointer from a call stack stored in a memory, wherein the processor comprises a control register including at least one bit to indicate whether the ROP logic is enabled;
• determining whether the check value was generated from a secret ROP value, wherein the secret ROP value is only accessible to an operating system and is to be generated at a beginning of a session and stored in a secure location, the secret ROP value corresponding to a salt value and to be generated based on a ROP security level;
• and
• upon determining that the check value was generated from the secret ROP value, executing the return pointer, wherein the check value is associated with the return pointer.