Enclave Isolation for Secure Data Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In modern distributed and virtual computer systems, ensuring the security and confidentiality of data and applications is challenging, especially when multiple users, services, and entities have access, leading to concerns about data interception, manipulation, and access control, which can deter customers and service providers due to the costs and performance degradation of additional security measures.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a secured data region called an 'enclave' provides a hardware or software-secured environment where data and applications can be stored and executed, using dedicated hardware and cryptographic methods to control access, ensuring that data remains inaccessible outside the enclave, even to trusted entities like operating systems, and allowing for secure processing and storage of sensitive information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional security measures such as encryption techniques are applied to protect sensitive data, then data security is improved, but system performance decreases and resource availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the security protection into two segments: client-side encryption where the client encrypts data before uploading, and server-side storage where the server only stores encrypted data without accessing decryption keys. This segmentation allows strong encryption security while maintaining server performance as the server doesn't need to perform computationally intensive encryption/decryption operations for all data access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary encryption layer between the client and server. The client acts as an intermediary that performs encryption before data reaches the server, and the server only handles encrypted data. This intermediary approach protects data security without requiring the server to implement complex security measures that would degrade performance.
2Reliability
If additional security measures are applied to protect sensitive data, then data security is improved, but costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service security where the client is responsible for encrypting their own data using their own encryption keys before uploading to the server. This eliminates the need for the server to implement and maintain complex security infrastructure, reducing server costs while maintaining strong data protection. The client bears the security responsibility and cost, which is more economical than requiring the server to provide comprehensive security services.
3Reliability
If encryption techniques are used to protect data, then data confidentiality is improved, but access control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the decryption capability from the server and places it with the client. The server only stores and manages encrypted data, while the client holds the decryption keys and performs decryption locally. This extraction simplifies access control because the server doesn't need to manage complex key distribution and access authorization systems, reducing operational complexity while maintaining strong confidentiality.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for instantiating an enclave according to a request, the enclave being instantiated at a determined location of a set of locations in a computing environment of a computing resource service provider hosting a set of computing resources. The enclave further being instantiated with executable code specified by a customer for processing network traffic in accordance with the executable code in a computing environment.


