Patent ID: 7587763
Filing Date: 2009-09-08
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A system, comprising: a deterministic network; a computer executing a hard real-time operating system, said computer being connected to the deterministic network; an application running under the hard real-time operating system; a security process running under the hard real-time operating system; and an external monitor connected to the deterministic network, wherein the security process is configured to periodically, in hard real-time, check the integrity of the application and/or a data element used by the application and, if the integrity check of the application or the data element indicates that the application or data element has been tampered with, notify a user of the system and/or shut down at least part of the system or application, and the security process includes a challenge handler that is configured to (i) receive a challenge transmitted from the external monitor to the challenge handler via the deterministic network and (ii) transmit to the external monitor via the deterministic network a response to the challenge within a specified hard real-time interval of less than five milliseconds from the challenge handler receiving the challenge, wherein the external monitor is configured so that if the external monitor does not receive the response within the specified hard real-time interval of five milliseconds or less from sending the challenge, the external monitor issues a notification and/or shuts down at least part of the system or application.