Scribd
Upload
57 views17 pages

Stack Management: Each Process/thread Has

Each process has two stacks - a kernel stack and a user stack. The stack pointer changes when entering or exiting the kernel to prevent untrusted applications from accessing kernel memory. Separating kernel and user stacks improves security in multi-threaded environments where threads could otherwise modify each other's stacks. Modern operating systems employ layering and abstraction techniques to improve modularity, readability, and extensibility compared to monolithic kernels. Microkernels minimize kernel code and run OS services in userspace for improved reliability, though with some performance overhead.

Uploaded by

permasa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
57 views17 pages

Stack Management: Each Process/thread Has

Each process has two stacks - a kernel stack and a user stack. The stack pointer changes when entering or exiting the kernel to prevent untrusted applications from accessing kernel memory. Separating kernel and user stacks improves security in multi-threaded environments where threads could otherwise modify each other's stacks. Modern operating systems employ layering and abstraction techniques to improve modularity, readability, and extensibility compared to monolithic kernels. Microkernels minimize kernel code and run OS services in userspace for improved reliability, though with some performance overhead.

Uploaded by

permasa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 17

Stack Management

Each process/thread has Kernel space

two stacks
Kernel stack
User stack SP

Stack pointer changes


User space
when exiting/entering the
kernel
Q: Why is this necessary?
Answer

The user stack pointer is under the control


of the (untrusted) application. A buggy or
malicious application could set the stack
pointer to a bogus value
For example, a nonexistent address or an
address inside the kernel
Alternate Answer

In a multi-threaded environment, thread A


can modify thread B’s stack (they reside in
the same address space).
Thus, thread A could change thread B’s control
flow inside the OS
Modifying arguments
Changing return values
etc.
•
Operating System Structure
Andrew Whitaker
CSE451
Operating System Structure
 Goal: Arrange OS software components to
maximize:
Reliability
Security
Readability
Extensibility
Performance
….
Motivation: OS Projects Gone Awry
What Is Writing an OS So Difficult?

Complexity
Millions of source code lines
Thousands of developers and testers
Unforgiving programming environment
OS runs on the raw hardware
A bug crashes the whole machine
Interrupts and concurrency
Backwards compatibility constraints
The Simplest Approach: Monolithic
Kernels
 Traditionally, OS’s are built as a monolithic entity:
 Single linked binary
 Any function can call any other function

user programs

OS everything

hardware
Monolithic design
 Major advantage:
cost of module interactions is low (procedure call)
 Disadvantages:
As system scales, it becomes:
 Hard to understand
 Hard to modify
 Hard to maintain
Unreliable (no isolation between system modules)
 What is the alternative?
Find a way to organize the OS in order to simplify its
design and implementation
Layering
 Idea: Implement OS as a set of layers
 The first description of this approach was Dijkstra’s THE
system (1968!)
 Layer 5: Job Managers
 Execute users’ programs
 Layer 4: Device Managers
 Handle devices and provide buffering
 Layer 3: Console Manager
 Implements virtual consoles
 Layer 2: Page Manager
 Implements virtual memories for each process
 Layer 1: Kernel
 Implements a virtual processor for each process
 Layer 0: Hardware
 Each layer can be tested and verified independently
Problems with Layering
 Strict hierarchical structure is too inflexible
 Real systems have “uses” cycles
 File system requires virtual memory services (buffers)
 Virtual memory would like to use files for its backing store

File Virtual
System Memory

 Poor performance
 Each layer crossing has overhead associated with it
Hardware Abstraction Layer

An example of layering in


modern operating systems
Core OS
Goal: separates hardware- (file system,
specific routines from the scheduler,
system calls)
“core” OS Hardware Abstraction
Provides portability Layer
Improves readability (device drivers,
assembly routines)
Microkernels
 Philosophy
Strict hierarchy is bad
But, modularity is good
 Design:
Minimize what goes in kernel
Organize rest of OS as user-level processes
 e.g., file system “server”
Processes communicate using message-passing
 Like a distributed system
 Examples
Hydra (1970s)
Mach (1985-1994)
Microkernel structure illustrated
user Firefox powerpoint

user mode
processes apache

file system network


system paging
processes threads scheduling

kernel
communication
microkernel virtual processor
memory protection control

hardware
Microkernels: Pros and Cons
 Pros
Simplicity
 Core kernel is very small
Extensibility
 Can add new functionality in user-mode code
Reliability
 OS services confined to user-mode programs
 Cons
Poor performance
 Message transfer operations instead of system call
State of the Art: Kernel Modules
 Basic idea: users can supply modules, which run
directly in the kernel’s address space
 Pros:
Good performance
Extensibility
 Cons:
Modules can compromise security, reliability
 Device drivers cause 85% of crashes in Windows 2000!
Safe Languages in the OS

UW’s SPIN Operating System


All kernel extensions written in a type-safe
language
Fast and safe
MSR’s Singularity Project
Entire system written for a type-safe runtime
environment

You might also like