Execution-Aware Memory protection technologies are described. A processor includes a processor core and a memory protection unit (MPU). The MPU includes a memory protection table and memory protection logic. The memory protection table defines a first protection region in main memory, the first protection region including a first instruction region and a first data region. The memory protection logic determines a protection violation by a first instruction when 1) an instruction address, resulting from an instruction fetch operation corresponding to the first instruction, is not within the first instruction region or 2) a data address, resulting from an execute operation corresponding to the first instruction, is not within the first data region.