Compositioning Domain for Secure Multi-Domain User Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions fail to provide a secure and usable interface for users to interact with multiple domains on a single device, often compromising security for usability or vice versa, as they either require physical separation of devices or complex hardware configurations that disrupt the user experience.
Innovation Solution
A compositioning domain is introduced to facilitate secure interaction between multiple domains by obtaining pixel information from each domain via a read-only communication path, providing a seamless user interface that displays applications from multiple domains on the same monitor, and maintaining an in-focus domain state to direct user input, thereby preventing cross-domain data transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple domains are allowed to share a single device interface, then usability is improved, but security is worsened due to potential cross-domain data transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the computing environment into multiple isolated domains (e.g., corporate domain, personal domain) that execute separately. Each domain maintains its own execution environment and data space, preventing unauthorized cross-domain data transfer while allowing users to access multiple domains through a unified interface.
Solution Approach 2:
A compositioning domain acts as an intermediary layer between users and the multiple underlying domains. This mediator presents a unified user interface that combines elements from multiple domains while enforcing security policies that prevent direct data transfer between domains, thus maintaining both usability and security.
2Reliability
If physical separation of devices is used to maintain security, then security is improved, but usability is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple separate domain interfaces into a single unified user interface presented by the compositioning domain. Users can interact with multiple domains (corporate, personal, etc.) through one interface rather than switching between devices or interfaces, maintaining security through domain isolation while improving convenience through interface unification.
3Reliability
If complex hardware configurations are implemented to secure multiple domains, then security is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The compositioning domain serves as a software-based intermediary that manages multiple domains without requiring complex hardware configurations. It presents a unified interface and enforces security policies through software mechanisms, avoiding the need for complex hardware security modules or multiple physical devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates virtual copies of domain interfaces within the compositioning domain, allowing users to access multiple domains through a unified interface. This virtualization approach avoids complex hardware configurations by using software-based domain isolation and interface composition.
Data Source
AI summary
User interaction with multiple domains is facilitated while preventing cross-domain transfer of data from those domains. A compositioning domain facilitates this interaction in a secure manner in which cross-domain transfer of data is prevented. This includes obtaining pixel information from the domains via one or more read-only communication paths, providing a user interface to the user, which includes providing a display buffer including at least some of the pixel information obtained from each domain of the domains for display to the user, and maintaining an in-focus domain state. The in-focus domain state indicates which domain of the domains is currently in-focus. User input from the user based on the user interface is provided by a user input handler directly to the currently in-focus domain indicated by the in-focus domain state absent transfer of the user input to the compositioning domain.