A method for manipulating a memory operation of a control unit program on a memory of a virtual or real electronic control unit (ECU), such as is used in vehicles, for example. The manipulation of the memory operation is accomplished by a memory manipulation program component, via which a set of manipulation functions is provided, from which at least one manipulation function is selected, so that this function, by activating the memory manipulation program component, changes a memory access initiated by the control unit program in accordance with the selected manipulation function during execution of the control unit program.