Ephemeral Instance Rotation for Cloud Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machine executable code deployment systems are vulnerable to white-box attacks, where attackers can modify and observe the execution environment, compromising security and data integrity.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for compiling machine-readable code into unique ephemeral instances, deployed for a predetermined runtime period, with authentication and cryptographic protection, including white-box encryption and obfuscation, to limit exposure and deter attacks by serially replacing instances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If machine executable code is deployed in a persistent runtime environment, then the application can execute continuously and provide stable service, but the code becomes vulnerable to white-box attacks where attackers can observe and modify the execution environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic code instantiation by compiling machine-readable code into unique ephemeral instances that are deployed serially to distinct digital processing environments. Each instance has a predetermined runtime period after which it is terminated and replaced by a new instance. This dynamic rotation prevents attackers from maintaining persistent observation or modification capabilities, as the execution environment changes continuously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multiple short-lived ephemeral instances of the machine executable code, each designed to execute for a limited runtime period. These instances are inexpensive to generate and deploy, allowing the system to continuously replace potentially compromised instances with fresh ones. The disposable nature of these instances ensures that even if one instance is compromised, the damage is limited to that specific instance's runtime window.
2Reliability
If cryptographic keys are embedded in the application code for protection, then security operations can be performed, but the keys may be exposed to attackers in a white-box environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds cryptographic keys within ephemeral instances that are dynamically created and destroyed. Each instance contains cryptographic material that is valid only for its specific runtime period. When an instance is terminated and replaced, its cryptographic keys become invalid, preventing attackers from using extracted keys against future instances. This dynamic key lifecycle ensures that key exposure in one instance does not compromise the overall security system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary compilation of the machine-readable code into unique ephemeral instances with embedded cryptographic protection before deployment. The compilation process integrates cryptographic keys and security measures into the code structure in advance, ensuring that security operations are ready to execute when the instance is deployed. This preliminary preparation allows the system to respond quickly to security threats without requiring runtime key management overhead.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If code obfuscation techniques are applied to protect the application, then attacker analysis becomes more difficult, but the application complexity and deployment process become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies obfuscation techniques dynamically during the compilation process that generates unique ephemeral instances. Each instance can be obfuscated with different parameters or levels of obfuscation, allowing the system to adapt the complexity of protection based on the specific deployment context. This dynamic approach to obfuscation manages complexity by applying it only where and when needed, rather than uniformly across all code.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the code representation by compiling source code into different ephemeral instances with varying obfuscation levels, encoding schemes, and structural transformations. Each instance can have unique parameters such as different obfuscation seeds, varying levels of code transformation, or instance-specific security configurations. This parameter variation increases attacker analysis difficulty while allowing the deployment system to manage complexity through controlled parameter adjustment rather than structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Described are various embodiments of a secure cloud-based system. In one such embodiment, the secure cloud-based system includes a distribution of digital network processing resources and a central digital processing environment. The central processing environment includes a secure network interface to each of said digital processing resources; a digital hardware processor; and a deployment engine operable to serially deploy a unique ephemeral machine executable code instance, via said secure network interface, to a given one of said digital processing resources to be executed thereon for a predetermined runtime period, wherein execution of each said unique ephemeral machine executable code instance is automatically terminated after said predetermined runtime period to be operatively replaced by a subsequent unique ephemeral machine executable code instance.