Cloud Object Signing via Dynamic Virtual Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud-based certificate services face significant security risks due to static signing systems being vulnerable to malware insertion, which can compromise the entire signing process, necessitating a highly secure and auditable dynamic signing environment.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based architecture that dynamically creates virtual machines for signing objects, using an object signing agent to access a cloud-based signing system through an encrypted tunnel, with a compliance engine evaluating object properties, a certificate manager creating secure key pairs, and a security manager monitoring the process to prevent compromise and ensure auditability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a cloud-based signing system is implemented, then convenience and remote key management are improved, but security risks increase due to potential malware insertion and system compromise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic signing instances that are created temporarily for each signing operation and then destroyed. This dynamic approach ensures that even if one instance is compromised, the compromise cannot persist to affect future signings, thereby maintaining security reliability while providing cloud-based convenience
Solution Approach 2:
The signing system is segmented into isolated signing instances, each operating in its own secure environment. This segmentation prevents malware from one instance from affecting other instances or the core system, resolving the security concern while maintaining operational convenience
2Device complexity
If a static signing system is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but security is compromised as attackers can insert malware during the signing process
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static to dynamic by creating temporary signing instances that are destroyed after use. This dynamic behavior eliminates the persistent attack surface that malware would need in a static system, preventing malware insertion while accepting increased operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Each signing instance is created as a temporary, disposable environment that is destroyed after the signing operation completes. This approach prevents malware from establishing persistent presence, as each instance is ephemeral and cannot be compromised long-term, thereby eliminating malware insertion risk
3Adaptability or versatility
If cloud-based signing is implemented, then key management flexibility is improved, but auditability and compromise detection become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements comprehensive logging and monitoring of all signing operations within each instance. This feedback mechanism provides detailed audit trails that enable detection of any anomalous behavior or compromise attempts, making it easier to detect issues while maintaining key management flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary security checks and establishes monitoring before signing operations begin. This preliminary action includes setting up audit logs and security monitoring in each instance, enabling early detection of compromise attempts while maintaining operational flexibility
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for digitally signing an object. An object signing agent sends a signing request for an object to a remote signing server, which, in response to receiving the request, generates a virtual machine executing code for signing the object. The object is signed within the virtual machine and returned to the object signing agent.