DMA

DMA (Direct Memory Access) is a computer architecture concept through which Input/Output devices are permitted to read and write data to and from the memory system selectively without interference of the central processing unit. This helps to ease the burden of the CPU on performance since DMA will now handle data movements leaving the CPU with other performances to accomplish.

In a normal DMA transfer cycle, the transfer is initiated by the setting of some transfer parameters by the CPU after which it releases the control to the DMA controller. DMA is mainly applied in high speed data operation such as backup, network communication and image processing as well as almost any application that improves system speed by reducing demand on the CPU. But then, DMA also brings the element of insecurity since it evades memory protection afforded to the CPU, and thus makes the system prone to certain threats.

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