Detecting a return-oriented programming exploit

A method and apparatus for detecting a Return-Oriented Programming exploitation. At a computer device, a mechanism to detect a control transfer of a code location in a memory is established. This may be, for example, hooking the control transfer. The code location relates to an electronic file. In the event that a control transfer of the code location is detected, a comparison is made between a destination code location address with values in the freed stack. If the code location address matches any of the values in the freed stack, then it is determined that the control transfer of the code location relates to a Return-Oriented Programming exploitation.