Guest Runtime Environment Security Policy Enforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guest runtime environments (GREs) are vulnerable to security threats due to a host-centric security approach that focuses on protecting the host rather than securing the GREs internally, leading to potential compromises even if the host environment is not compromised.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a security policy specific to each GRE that restricts or permits activities, executable objects, and access to resources within the GRE, using techniques such as file hashing, whitelisting, and code integrity verification to ensure only authorized objects can execute and access resources, with the option to inherit security policies from higher levels like the host operating environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a host-centric security approach is used to protect the host environment, then the host security is improved, but the GREs remain vulnerable to compromise from the host environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the security model into separate segments: host-level security policies and GRE-level security policies. Each GRE has its own security policy that is enforced independently within the GRE environment, separating the security concerns of the host from those of the guest runtime environments. This allows GREs to have their own security boundaries that protect them from host environment compromises.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary security policy enforcement mechanism that operates within the GRE to mediate between the GRE's internal operations and external threats. This intermediary layer enforces security policies locally within the GRE, preventing direct exposure to host environment vulnerabilities and providing a buffer against host-centric security failures.
2Reliability
If security policies are enforced within GREs to limit activities and access, then GRE security is improved, but the complexity of policy management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by establishing security policies before GRE execution begins. Security policies are defined and configured in advance, specifying which activities are permitted and which are restricted within the GRE. This pre-configuration approach simplifies management by eliminating the need for dynamic policy adjustments during runtime and ensuring security constraints are in place before potential threats arise.
3Reliability
If GREs maintain their own security policies during migration, then security integrity is improved, but the overhead for policy enforcement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal security policy enforcement mechanism that can operate across different GRE instances and migration scenarios. The security policy enforcement capability is designed to be multi-functional, handling policy validation, execution monitoring, and integrity verification in a unified manner. This universal approach reduces overhead by avoiding redundant security checks and leveraging the same enforcement infrastructure across multiple GREs and migration events.
Data Source
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AI summary
Facilities are provided to secure guest runtime environments (GREs). Security policy specifications may be associated with GREs. A GRE's security policy may be specific to the GRE and may also include security policy inherited from higher levels such as a host operating environment. The security policy of a GRE specifies restrictions and/or permissions for activities that may be performed within the scope of execution of the GRE. A GRE's security policy may limit what the GRE's guest software may do within the GRE. Restrictions/permissions may be applied to objects such as files, configuration data, and the like. Security specifications may be applied to execution initiated within a GRE. A GRE's security specification may restrict/permit executable objects from loading and executing within the GRE. The executability or accessibility of objects may be conditioned on factors such as the health/integrity of the GRE, the host system, requested files, and others.