PROOF BY ARCHITECTURE
Microvisor below the kernel
A detailed look at the layered architecture: how ZMatrix mediates privilege transitions and enforces invariants beneath the kernel.
PROOF BY ARCHITECTURE
Microvisor below the kernel
ZMatrix mediates all transitions across privilege boundaries with constant-time, memory-safe guards. The kernel can’t violate what it can’t reach.
Architecture layers
ZMatrix implements defense in depth through distinct architectural layers, each with specific security guarantees and responsibilities.
ZMatrix leverages hardware virtualization extensions (VT-x/AMD-V) to create an immutable barrier. The microvisor runs in VMX root mode, intercepting all privilege transitions before they reach the kernel.
- •VMX/SVM root mode operation
- •Extended page table (EPT/NPT) enforcement
- •IOMMU-backed I/O isolation
A minimal trusted computing base that enforces invariants on every context switch. Policies are compiled into decision trees, eliminating runtime interpretation and ensuring O(1) enforcement.
- •Sub-200ns mediation overhead
- •Immutable policy enforcement
- •Zero-copy syscall interposition
Your Linux or Windows kernel runs unmodified but operates within enforced boundaries. Memory mappings, I/O operations, and scheduling decisions are validated against immutable policies.
- •Unmodified kernel support
- •Hardware-enforced boundaries
- •Transparent operation
Applications inherit security from the architecture. Process isolation becomes hardware-enforced, and lateral movement is structurally impossible—even if the kernel is compromised.
- •Zero application changes
- •Hardware process isolation
- •Automatic protection inheritance
Design principles
Core principles that guide every architectural decision in ZMatrix's implementation.
Policies are loaded and verified during the boot process. Once active, they cannot be modified—not by the kernel, not by root, not by any user-space process. Trust is established before execution begins.
Every syscall and interrupt passes through the microvisor with hardware-assisted checks. The overhead is measured in nanoseconds, not microseconds—making defense transparent to application performance.
Core components are proven correct using theorem provers. Security properties aren't tested—they're mathematically guaranteed. If the model holds, the implementation holds.