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Encyclopedia > Current privilege level

The concept of privilege level refers to protecting resources on a CPU. Different execution threads can have different privilege levels that grant access to resources such as memory regions, I/O ports, and special instructions. On the x86 architecture, there are 4 privilege levels ranging from 0 which is the most privileged, to 3 which is least privleged. Most modern operating systems use level 0 for the kernel/executive, and use level 3 for application programs. On x86, any resource available to level n is also available to level 0..n, hence it is called a "ring model". Several terms are used in x86 including the following: CPU can stand for: in computing: Central processing unit in journalism: Commonwealth Press Union in law enforcement: Crime prevention unit in software: Critical patch update, a type of software patch distributed by Oracle Corporation in Macleans College is often known as Ash Lim. ... x86 or 80x86 is the generic name of a microprocessor architecture first developed and manufactured by Intel. ... x86 or 80x86 is the generic name of a microprocessor architecture first developed and manufactured by Intel. ... In computer science, hierarchical protection domains, often called protection rings, are a mechanism to protect data and functionality from faults (fault tolerance) and malicious behaviour (computer security). ... x86 or 80x86 is the generic name of a microprocessor architecture first developed and manufactured by Intel. ...

  • Descriptors contain a field called the descriptor privilege level (DPL). This is the numerically highest level that can access the resource.
  • Selectors contain a field called the requested privilege level (RPL). This allows a program to request a resource at a lower privilege level than it would otherwise use.
  • The Current Privilege Level (CPL) is the level the processor is currently operating at. It is stored in the lowest 2 bits of the code segment selector (CS).

The processor automatically evaluates the right of a procedure to access another segment by comparing the CPL to the numeric max of the RPL and DPL. If the CPL>MAX(RPL, DPL), then a general protection fault is generated. See memory segment for more details. In computing, a code segment, also known as a text segment or simply as text, is a phrase used to refer to a portion of memory or of an object file that contains executable computer instructions. ... A general protection fault in the Intel x86 architecture is a fault indicating that a currently executing program has in some way violated the rules of the hardware on which it is running. ... On the Intel x86 architecture, a memory segment is the portion of memory which may be addressed by a single index register without changing a 16-bit segment selector. ...


It is not necessary to use all four privilege levels. Existing software that was designed to use only one or two levels of privilege can simply ignore the other levels offered by the 80386. A one-level system should use privilege level zero; a two-level system should use privilege levels zero and three.


See also

Protected mode is an operational mode of x86-compatible CPUs of the 80286 series or later. ... On the Intel x86 architecture, a memory segment is the portion of memory which may be addressed by a single index register without changing a 16-bit segment selector. ...

References

  • Intel 80386 Programmer's Reference

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