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

VSEngineering 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

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidsystem performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

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.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If additional security measures are applied to protect sensitive data, then data security is improved, but costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

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.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If encryption techniques are used to protect data, then data confidentiality is improved, but access control becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata confidentialityVSAvoidaccess control
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

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.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS9584517B1Transforms within secure execution environments
Publication Date: 2017.02.28 AMAZON TECH INC
  • US9584517B1 patent drawing
  • US9584517B1 patent drawing
  • US9584517B1 patent drawing

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.