Outlet Title
International Symposium on Digital Forensics and Security
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
4-2026
Abstract
Unikernels are single-purpose library operating systems that run the kernel and application in one address space, but often omit security mitigations such as address space layout randomization (ASLR). In OSv, boot, program loading, and thread creation select largely deterministic addresses, leading to near-identical layouts across instances and more repeatable exploitation. To reduce layout predictability, this research introduces ASLR-style diversity into OSv by randomizing the application base and thread stack regions through targeted changes to core memory-management and loading routines. The implementation adds minimal complexity while preserving OSv's lightweight design goals. Evaluation against an unmodified baseline finds comparable boot time, application runtime, and memory usage. %under the study's statistical tests, Analysis indicates that the generated addresses exhibit a uniform distribution. These results show that layout-randomization defenses can be efficiently and effectively integrated into OSv unikernels, improving resistance to reliable exploitation.
Recommended Citation
Wollman, Alex and Hastings, John, "Hardening the OSv Unikernel with Efficient Address Randomization: Design and Performance Evaluation" (2026). Research & Publications. 148.
https://scholar.dsu.edu/ccspapers/148