Node and method for secure server communication

Abstract

The present invention provides a node (100) which is suitable for allowing a client node to access a trusted service provided by another node in a network and comprises two units. The first unit (101) is configured to sign a certificate to certify the ownership of a public key, wherein the public key is owned by an enclave of a TEE (trusted execution environment), in the another node and a code to be executed for providing the trusted service to the client node is protected in the enclave. The second unit (102) is configured to make the signed certificate available to the client node. The certificate may be a certificate, which an enclave running in the another node provides to the node's first unit (101) to demonstrate that it is an authentic part of a web domain (e.g. example.com) which a client node wants to securely access without risking to expose sensitive data to a man-in-the-middle purporting to be the trusted service.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to the communication field, and relates to a node and a method for safely communicating with a server in the network. Background technique [0002] A Trusted Execution Environment (TEE), such as Intel's Software Guard Extensions (SGX) technology or AMD's Secure Memory Encryption (SME), is a secure area inside the main processor that ensures Applications running in this security zone have the following properties: [0003] 1. Code immutability - the logic of the protected application cannot be changed [0004] 2. Data confidentiality - no access to application data [0005] 3. Authenticity - The protected application is able to prove to a third party that the application is communicating its identity, ie that the application is indeed a specific program running in the TEE. [0006] SGX performs authentication according to a dedicated protocol, according to which protected code (enclave) generates signed reports. The reports typ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0003] 1. Code immutability - the logic of the protected application cannot be changed

[0004] 2. Data confidentiality - no access to application data

The main disadvantage of this approach is that not only does the client's TLS stack need to be changed to support this extension, but said extension also needs to be updated when the authentication protocol is changed

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