Protected mode is a secure x86 mode that grants advanced control to the operating system, assigning privilege levels to software operations and using paging resources to firewall applications into their own operational memory. This improves program memory usage, speeds up processing time, and allows for multitasking with independent control over processes.
In computer terminology, protected mode refers to an x86 mode of operation that provides enhanced security by enabling key software features. When operating in protected mode, also called protected virtual address mode, a computer’s operating system is granted advanced control of the applications running on the machine. This advanced control protects the operating system by granting the system permission to close unsafe processes and delegating the execution of processes in the virtual memory space.
In operating systems that incorporate protected-mode computing, there are a few key features that make the service useful. The main feature is the use of privilege levels for software operations. In secure mode configuration, all software is assigned a ring value of 0, 1, 2, or 3. These ring values indicate the permissions allowed to the program. A program with a ring value of 0 is a super administrator-enabled program that has full access permissions, such as operating system files. A program with a ring value of 3, the default value for applications, has very limited permissions, thus protecting the operating system from damage by unauthorized programs.
Protected mode also offers improvements to program memory usage. By using paging resources, the application is effectively firewalled into its own operational memory. The paging resource keeps individual segments of virtual memory secure, as the system limits access to these areas. By using some of the available hard drive space as a paging file, you can use more memory for applications than is physically available.
Using protected mode, free space in paging files and virtual memory is allocated for use. Processes can be removed from physical memory and placed in virtual memory page files located on the hard drive. Confining applications to these virtual memory banks not only speeds up the processing time of the central processor unit (CPU), but also helps with security. This is because virtual memory resources are kept separate from all other system resources, thus creating a section reserved specifically for the application.
Multitasking is another benefit of using Safe Mode. When this operating mode is active, the system is able to use authority rings, call ports, and activity status segments to prioritize certain operations and processes. This priority level controls what percentage of processor time is devoted to the function of a particular application or process. With this level of independent control, the protected mode operating system can safely shut down programs and applications without fear of crashing the entire system.
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