Container-Specific OS Kernel Compilation for Multi-Tenant Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current security measures for application containers in multi-tenant computing environments inadequately address the risks associated with shared host OS kernels, lacking holistic approaches to measure and mitigate risks between application containers and host OS kernels, leading to increased attack surfaces and unaddressed software bugs.
Innovation Solution
A system that evaluates the risk of application containers and configures and compiles custom host OS kernels to match specific requirements, strategically pairing them with host OS kernels to reduce operational risk and enhance security posture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If application containers share the host OS kernel to enable concurrent resource access, then resource utilization and deployment efficiency improve, but security risks and attack surfaces increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monolithic host OS kernel into multiple isolated kernel instances, each dedicated to specific application containers. This segmentation maintains the efficiency benefits of kernel sharing while reducing security risks by isolating containers from each other and from vulnerabilities in other containers' kernels. Each container group gets its own kernel instance with controlled access, preventing lateral movement of attacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by configuring different kernel instances with specific security properties and resource allocations tailored to their designated container groups. Each kernel instance can have customized security parameters, capability sets, and resource limits appropriate to its workload, rather than using a single generalized kernel configuration for all containers.
2Reliability
If kernel namespaces and control groups are used to isolate containers, then container confinement improves, but security gaps remain in areas like audit programs and file systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a kernel instance as an intermediary layer between application containers and the host system resources. This intermediary kernel instance provides comprehensive isolation that addresses the security gaps in traditional namespace approaches, particularly in areas like audit programs and file systems. The kernel instance acts as a complete mediation layer that can enforce security policies across all subsystems, not just the ones covered by individual namespaces.
3Device complexity
If a single host OS kernel is shared across multiple containers, then system complexity is reduced, but the ability to provide container-specific security configurations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by allowing the system to adaptively select and configure appropriate kernel instances for different container groups based on their specific requirements. The system can dynamically allocate kernel instances, adjust their security configurations, and scale the number of instances based on workload demands. This dynamic approach provides container-specific configurations without requiring manual intervention for each container.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves universality by creating a multi-functional kernel instance architecture where each kernel instance can serve multiple containers with different security and resource requirements. Rather than needing a unique kernel for each container, the system uses multiple instances of a standardized kernel template, each configured for its specific container group. This approach provides customization where needed while maintaining economies of scale.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for application container security comprising an application container processing and deployment computer system configured to receive an application container, determine operating system kernel requirements of the application container, calculate a risk value based on the operating system kernel requirements of the application container, determine availability of a host computer to host the application container, by determining if the operating system kernel of the host computer meets operational requirements of the application container. The operational requirements including the risk value for the application container. When the operating system kernel of the host computer is determined to meet the operational requirements, pair the application container with the operating system kernel of the host computer. When the operating system kernel of the host computer is determined to not meet the operational requirements, configure and compile a container-specific operating system kernel that meets the operational requirements.