Kernel management method, device and computer program product

• US 10,592,257 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2018
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhou, Yizhou, Zhang, Zhibin
• Primary Examiner(s): Deng, Anna C
• Application Number:
  US16/119,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20190324762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 717170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44536 Selecting among different versions

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, device and computer program product for kernel management. The method comprises: receiving, from a server, a plurality of instances of a kernel module to be loaded into a kernel, the plurality of instances corresponding to a plurality of candidate versions, determining a current version of the kernel in response to the kernel being started or updated, and loading, to the kernel, an instance of the plurality of instances corresponding to the current version. Embodiments of the present disclosure may improve the security of the operating system, meet close-source requirement of a commercial operating system and also simplify the process of the kernel module referring to one or more APIs.

Claims

1. A method of kernel management, comprising:

receiving, from a server, a plurality of instances of a kernel module to be loaded into a kernel, the plurality of instances corresponding to a plurality of candidate versions of the kernel, wherein the plurality of candidate versions comprises a current version of the kernel;

determining the current version of the kernel in response to the kernel being started or updated; and

loading, to the kernel, an instance of the plurality of instances corresponding to the current version, wherein the loading comprises updating an application programming interface (API) table of the instance, the API table comprising an address, in the kernel, of an API used by the instance.

2. The method according to Claim 1, wherein the API table further comprises a second address, in the kernel, of a second API used by a second kernel module loaded to the kernel.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of candidate versions correspond to a plurality of universal versions of the kernel.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of candidate versions are each encapsulated in a binary code.

5. An electronic device, comprising:

at least one central processing unit; and

at least one memory coupled to the at least one central processing unit and storing machine-executable instructions, the instructions, when executed by the at least one central processing unit, causing the electronic device to perform a method, the method, comprising;

receiving, from a server, a plurality of instances of a kernel module to be loaded into a kernel, the plurality of instances corresponding to a plurality of candidate versions of the kernel, wherein the plurality of candidate versions comprises a current version of the kernel;

determining the current version of the kernel in response to the kernel being started or updated; and

loading an instance of the plurality of instances corresponding to the current version to the kernel, wherein the loading comprises updating an application programming interface (API) table of the instance, the API table comprising an address, in the kernel, of an API used by the instance.

6. The electronic device according to Claim 5, wherein the API table further a second address, in the kernel, of a second API used by a second kernel module loaded to the kernel.

7. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of candidate versions correspond to a plurality of universal versions of the kernel.

8. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of candidate versions are each encapsulated kernel module binary codes respectively.

9. A computer program product tangibly stored on a non-transient computer readable medium and including machine executable instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, from a server, a plurality of instances of a kernel module to be loaded into a kernel, the plurality of instances corresponding to a plurality of candidate versions of the kernel, wherein the plurality of candidate versions comprises a current version of the kernel;

determining the current version of the kernel in response to the kernel being started or updated; and

loading, to the kernel, an instance of the plurality of instances corresponding to the current version, wherein the loading comprises updating an application programming interface (API) table of the instance, the API table comprising an address, in the kernel, of an API used by the instance.

10. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the API table further comprises a second address, in the kernel, of a second API used by a second kernel module loaded to the kernel.

11. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of candidate versions correspond to a plurality of universal versions of the kernel.

12. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of candidate versions are each encapsulated in a binary code.