Cross-Enclave Authentication Framework for Secure Secret Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing enclave systems struggle with secure communication and secret sealing across multiple enclaves, particularly when they are backed by different enclave technologies and reside on different machines, lacking unified authentication mechanisms and flexible identity management.
Innovation Solution
An identity framework with Assertion Generators, Verifiers, and Evaluators supports various enclave identities, enabling secure communication through a handshake protocol and secret sealing framework that uses a SecretSealer interface for cryptographic sealing and unsealing, independent of the host machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If enclave systems use traditional authentication mechanisms, then authentication can be performed, but secure communication and secret sealing across multiple enclaves on different machines cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal authentication framework that works across different enclave technologies and host machines. The Assertion Verifier and Access Control List mechanisms provide a standardized interface that can authenticate any enclave entity regardless of its underlying implementation, enabling secure communication between diverse enclaves on different machines.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication layer between enclaves and the host system. The Assertion Verifier acts as a mediator that validates identity assertions from various enclave technologies without requiring direct trust between them, enabling secure cross-enclave communication through a common authentication protocol.
2Reliability
If enclave systems implement strict security safeguards, then code integrity and memory protection are maintained, but identity management and authentication across multiple enclaves becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the authentication function into distinct components: Assertion Generators that create identity claims, Assertion Verifiers that validate claims, and Access Control List Evaluators that enforce policies. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently with well-defined interfaces, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining strong security safeguards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of identity representation from traditional machine-level identifiers to cryptographic assertions that can be generated and verified independently. This parameter change allows the system to maintain strict code integrity while simplifying identity management through standardized assertion formats and evaluation criteria.
3Adaptability or versatility
If enclave systems use host-bound sealing mechanisms, then secrets can be sealed on a single machine, but the sealing cannot be performed across different host machines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal sealing mechanism where the Access Control List and Assertion Verifier work together to enable secret sealing across different host machines. The sealing process uses cryptographic assertions that can be verified by any enclave on any machine, making the sealing scope universal while maintaining reliable access control through policy evaluation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure provide various methods relating to enclaves. For instance, a method of authentication for an enclave entity with a second entity may include receiving, by one or more processors of a host computing device of the enclave entity, a request and an assertion of identity for the second entity, the assertion including identity information for the second identity; using an assertion verifier of the enclave entity to determine whether the assertion is valid; when the assertion is valid, extracting the identity information; authenticating the second entity using an access control list for the enclave entity to determine whether the identity information meets expectations of the access control list; when the identity information meets the expectations of the access control list, completing the request.