POWER10 Adds New Instructions For Helping Fend Off ROP Exploits

[phoronix]

Phoronix: POWER10 Adds New Instructions For Helping Fend Off ROP Exploits

The POWER10 architecture is adding several new instructions to help prevent return-oriented programming exploits...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=POWER10-ROP-Instructions

[programmerjake]

you can get the POWER10 ISA manual (or more specifically the OpenPower ISA v3.1 spec) here:
https://wiki.raptorcs.com/w/images/f...ublic.v3.1.pdf

I didn't check if it describes the instructions mentioned in the article, but it seems likely to me.

(EDIT: they're not actually included in the v3.1 spec)

[baryluk]

My guess, it is using a hardware assisted shadow stack, with hardware assisted encryption for hashing pointers, so they can't be forged. Nice and performant solution.

[xorbe]

Probably a random hash key per boot and per guest instance. The hash needs to be ultra fast though.