Joya Systems

Call Us: 1-877-DEV-KERNEL

Application control security

Cross-platform kernel enforcement for application control

A security-software company needed enforcement across Windows, Linux, and macOS for an application-whitelisting product. Joya Systems built the low-level interception backbone and the secure communication pieces around it.

Platforms

  • Windows
  • Linux
  • macOS

Services

  • Cross-platform kernel development
  • File system interception
  • Process protection
  • Secure IPC

The challenge

Application control has to enforce policy where execution and file activity actually happen. The product needed more than a Windows-only proof of concept: it needed OS-level interception across desktop and server platforms.

What we built

On Windows, we delivered a mini-filter file driver, process intercepts, registry intercepts, trusted change tracking, 32-bit and 64-bit import and export address table hooking, auto-injection support, and a secure user/kernel channel.

We also ported file system and process interception to Linux across multiple distributions and kernel versions, including support for older 2.6 kernels common in enterprise environments at the time.

On macOS, we delivered kernel extensions for file-system and process enforcement, bringing the same product concept to Mac systems instead of leaving them as an unsupported exception.

Project outcome

  • Built the enforcement backbone for an application-whitelisting product across Windows, Linux, and macOS, each with platform-native kernel interception.
  • Delivered Windows process and registry intercepts, 32/64-bit IAT/EAT hooking, trusted-change tracking, and a secure user/kernel channel — including process protection for a security product.
  • Covered the long tail of real enterprise fleets, porting Linux interception across multiple distributions and kernel versions down to older 2.6 kernels.

Technical takeaway

A cross-platform security product cannot pretend the kernels are the same. The common product behavior has to sit on deliberately different enforcement mechanisms.

Working on something similar?

If your team is building in this area — a driver, kernel module, packet path, file system filter, security sensor, or certification plan — start with a technical conversation, not a sales call. Contact Joya Systems and describe the product, platform, and current state of the code.

Related consulting work

Related case studies

Frequently asked questions

How is application whitelisting enforced at the OS level across Windows, Linux, and macOS?

With platform-native kernel components, not one shared hook. On Windows we used a minifilter file driver with process and registry intercepts; on Linux a kernel module for file-system and process interception across distributions and kernel versions; on macOS kernel extensions for file and process enforcement. The product behavior is common, the enforcement is deliberately different per OS.

Can application control protect its own process and intercept execution in the kernel?

Yes. On Windows the work included process protection, 32-bit and 64-bit import/export address table hooking, auto-injection, trusted-change tracking, and a secure user/kernel channel so policy decisions and the agent itself are harder to tamper with.

View all case studies