Protecting sensitive data in a software program

Abstract

The disclosed method is concerned with a computer implemented method generating code for protecting sensitive data used by the program, by partitioning the program into a plurality of blocks of code, such that each code block in the program is registered using a code index in a code register created for the program. The code index for a given code block reflects current properties including the current location of the code block, at any given time. During execution of the program at runtime by the computing device, each code block of the program is moved from a first code location in a memory to a respective second code location in the memory, such that the code block is accessible from the second code location in the memory henceforth. The code index for the moved code block is updated to indicate updated current properties, such as the new location of the code block, i.e. the second code location, after moving the code block. In addition to moving the code to the second code location that is different to the first code location; one or more references stored in the memory and that are required for the execution of the code block, i.e. which are accessed by the code block and/or are required to access the code block, are also associated with the moved code block. To enable the association, the one or more references for the code block are registered in a reference register, such that a reference index reflecting current properties for each of the one or more references is adjusted based on updated current properties of the code index of the moved code block.