Reference monitor
In operating systems architecture, a reference monitor is a tamperproof, always-invoked, and small-enough-to-be-fully-tested-and-analyzed module that controls all software access to data objects or devices (verifiable). The reference monitor verifies that the request is allowed by the access control policy. For example, Windows 3.x and 9x operating systems were not built with a reference monitor, whereas the Windows NT line, which also includes Windows 2000 and Windows XP, was designed to contain a reference monitor (needs citation), although it is not clear that its properties (tamperproof, etc.) have ever been independently verified, or what level of computer security it was intended to provide.
The Reference Monitor concept was introduced in the Computer Security Technology Planning Study (Oct, 1972) by James Anderson & Co.
Systems evaluated at B2 and above by the TCSEC must enforce the reference monitor concept.
See also
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