Cryptographic Virtual Machine with Tamper-Proof Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices lack effective means to secure cryptographic information when an attacker gains access to the operating system, as they typically do not have Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) to isolate cryptographic processing from software applications.
Innovation Solution
A cryptographic system with a secure software sandbox and a tamper-proof virtual layer that protects cryptographic operations and data from unauthorized access, using a cryptographic virtual machine and secure storage to perform cryptographic functions and store keys, while preventing reverse engineering and debugging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cryptography is performed within the host operating system using operating system mechanisms for isolation, then cryptographic operations can be performed without dedicated hardware, but an attacker who gains access to the operating system can overcome these mechanisms and access user information
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cryptographic processing environment into separate segments: a secure cryptographic sandbox isolated from the host operating system, and the host OS itself. This segmentation prevents attackers who compromise the OS from accessing cryptographic operations and data within the sandbox, resolving the contradiction between ease of software implementation and security reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual machine as an intermediary layer between the host operating system and the cryptographic sandbox. This intermediary provides additional isolation and protection, allowing cryptographic operations to remain in software while preventing direct access by attackers who compromise the OS, thus maintaining both software-based ease of implementation and enhanced security
2Reliability
If Hardware Security Modules are used to provide tamper-proof containers for cryptographic processing, then security is improved, but mobile devices typically lack these modules or they are not accessible to software applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a software-based copy of the Hardware Security Module functionality through a cryptographic sandbox that emulates HSM behavior. This virtual HSM provides the same security isolation and cryptographic processing capabilities as physical HSMs but runs entirely in software, making it compatible with mobile devices that lack dedicated hardware security modules while maintaining high security standards
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the mechanical/physical HSM hardware system with a software-based cryptographic sandbox. This substitution eliminates the need for physical hardware security modules while achieving equivalent or superior security through software isolation mechanisms, thereby improving device compatibility without sacrificing security reliability
3Reliability
If virtual machines are used to separate execution between host computing device and guest operating system, then security policies can be enforced and compromised guest systems cannot affect the host, but none of these attempts protect information within the virtual machine when executed on an open software platform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent further segments the virtual machine environment by creating a cryptographic sandbox within the guest operating system. This nested segmentation ensures that even if the virtual machine or guest OS is compromised, attackers cannot access the cryptographic data and operations within the sandbox, providing defense-in-depth that protects against unauthorized access while maintaining security isolation
Data Source
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AI summary
A cryptosystem having a secure Cryptographic Virtual Machine (CVM) protected by a Tamper-Proof Virtual Layer (TPVL) for performing cryptography in software is described. The CVM and TPVL allow software applications to store and process cryptographic keys and data in a secure and tamper-proof manner, without requiring the use of a Hardware Security Module (HSM).