Morello-HAT: Morello High-Level API and Tooling (EP/X015955/1)

About this project

This project is supported by EPSRC (EP/X015955/1) under the Digital Security by Design (DSbD) Programme and in partner with the University of Glasgow and Imperial College London.

The Morello project implements these concepts and tools for the Arm architecture. In terms of programming languages, the focus of CHERI and Morello has been primarily on C but considerable work has also been done on C++ and some more preliminary work on Rust. The Morello-HAT project (Morello High-Level API and Tooling) intends to create a common API that can be used by compiler developers as well as programmers of higher-level languages, to allow them to leverage Morello’s HW capabilities to improve memory security and type safety, spatial as well as temporal, of their language and programs.

At Essex, we will enhance the traditionally exposed debug infrastructure by creating a ICMetrics secured software API on top of the CHERI software stack for debug and authentication, and create high-level API for accessing the debug subsystem and registers through in processor debug mode. In addtion, we will also create penetration testing and evaluation program suites, and evaluate and analyse the enhanced debug mechanism.

News

• 10/2022: We presented our poster in Digital Security by Design (DSbD) - All Hands networking meeting at Grand Station, Sun St, Wolverhampton.