SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SOFTWARE TAMPER DETECTION

A method, system, and apparatus are directed towards detecting unauthorized modification of software, such as virtual smart card software. An analysis is performed on the software to generate a unique pattern that is based on the integrity of the software. The pattern is generated using various portions of the software code. In one embodiment, matrix manipulations that involve a sequence of randomly selected matrix operations are performed on extracted portions of the software code. Sample sizes of the software code, sizes of the matrices, and other initialization parameters may be selected based on a desired security level. The resulting pattern may then be compared to a known normal pattern for the software to detect unauthorized modification. In one embodiment, however, the resulting pattern may be algorithmically combined with another value. The resulting combination may be used to decrypt content, if the software has not been modified.