Protecting visible data during computerized process usage
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorDoyle J. McCoy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for protecting visible data during computerized process usage. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, when a computerized process is identified, a physical page key (PPK) is generated (e.g., a unique PPK may be generated for each page of data) and stored in at least one table. Based on the PPK a virtual page key (VPK) is generated and stored in at least one register. When the process is later implemented, and a request to access a set of data associated the process is received, it will be determined whether the VPK is valid (based on the PPK). Based on the results of this determination, a data access determination is made.
Claims14
A computer-implemented method for managing data security, comprising:
- identifying a computerized process;
- generating a physical page key (PPK) for the computerized process;
- storing the PPK in at least one table, the at least one table comprising a physical protection table, the PPK being associated in the physical protection table with a WPPK and a virtual page key chain (VPK Ch) reference;
- assigning to the PPK a set of allocated memory pages, each protected memory page in the set of memory pages having an associated data protection (DP) mask that masks the protected memory page in computer memory;
- generating a virtual page key (VPK) based on the PPK, the VPK identifying the process and a set of data authorized to be used by the process;
- receiving a request to access the set of data via the process;
- determining, in response to the request, a validity of the VPK based on the PPK;
- and
- making a data access determination based on the validity.
A system for managing data security, comprising:
- a bus;
- a processor coupled to the bus;
- and
- a memory medium coupled to the bus, the memory medium comprising instructions to:
- identify a computerized process;
- generate a physical page key (PPK) for the computerized process;
- store the PPK in at least one table, the at least one table comprising a physical protection table, the PPK being associated in the physical protection table with a WPPK and a virtual page key chain (VPK Ch) reference;
- assign to the PPK a set of allocated memory pages, each protected memory page in the set of memory pages having an associated data protection (DP) mask that masks the protected memory page in computer memory;
- generate a virtual page key (VPK) based on the PPK, the virtual key identifying the process and a set of data authorized to be used by the process;
- receive a request to access the set of data via the process;
- determine a validity of the VPK based on the PPK;
- and
- make a data access determination based on the validity.
A computer program product for managing data security, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage media that is not a signal, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media, to:
- identify a computerized process;
- generate a physical page key (PPK) for the computerized process;
- store the PPK in at least one table, the at least one table comprising a physical protection table, the PPK being associated in the physical protection table with a WPPK and a virtual page key chain (VPK Ch) reference;
- assign to the PPK a set of allocated memory pages, each protected memory page in the set of memory pages having an associated data protection (DP) mask that masks the protected memory page in computer memory;
- generate a virtual page key (VPK) based on the PPK, the VPK identifying the process and a set of data authorized to be used by the process;
- receive a request to access the set of data via the process;
- determine a validity of the VPK based on the PPK;
- and
- make a data access determination based on the validity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.