Hardware TPM Virtualization for Secure VM Key Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual machine (VM) security systems in cloud computing environments rely on hypervisor-stored trusted platform modules (TPMs) which are vulnerable to compromise, exposing security information if the hypervisor is compromised.
Innovation Solution
Implementing TPM functionality in a hardware security platform (HSP) that is communicatively coupled to the hypervisor, storing security information such as encryption keys and measurements in non-volatile memory of the HSP, ensuring hardware-backed protection and isolation of TPM data for each VM.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If TPM functionality is implemented in the hypervisor layer, then VM security management is simplified and centralized, but security is compromised if the hypervisor is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts TPM functionality from the hypervisor layer and implements it in the hardware security platform. The HSP contains dedicated TPM logic and non-volatile memory for storing security information, separating the security-critical functions from the potentially vulnerable hypervisor environment. This allows centralized management while improving security isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The hardware security platform acts as an intermediary between virtual machines and the hypervisor for TPM operations. The HSP receives TPM commands from the hypervisor, processes them in hardware-isolated TPM logic, and returns results, thereby protecting security information from direct hypervisor access while maintaining centralized control.
2Ease of operation
If security information is stored in hypervisor memory, then access and management is convenient, but confidentiality is compromised upon hypervisor compromise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts security information storage from hypervisor memory to the non-volatile memory of the hardware security platform. The HSP's NVM is dedicated to storing TPM security information such as encryption keys and measurements, physically isolating it from hypervisor memory and preventing exposure even if the hypervisor is compromised.
Solution Approach 2:
The hardware security platform provides localized, dedicated storage for each virtual machine's security information within its non-volatile memory. The TPM logic in the HSP can selectively access and manage security information for specific VMs, providing both convenience of access and protection through hardware-enforced isolation.
3Productivity
If multiple VMs share a single hypervisor-based TPM, then resource utilization is improved, but security isolation between VMs is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The hardware security platform provides universal TPM functionality that can serve multiple virtual machines simultaneously. The HSP's TPM logic can process TPM commands for different VMs and manage their respective security information in its non-volatile memory, achieving high resource utilization while maintaining security isolation through hardware-enforced boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The hardware security platform segments security information storage and management for each virtual machine within its hardware boundaries. While the HSP serves multiple VMs, it maintains distinct security contexts and isolation barriers for each VM's TPM data, ensuring that compromise of one VM does not affect others while efficiently utilizing the shared HSP resources.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable storage mediums described herein enable executable code of a hardware security platform (HSP) circuit to communicate with a hypervisor in a separate processor. The hypervisor generates and manages virtual machines. The HSP code comprises trusted platform module (TPM) logic, that processes TPM commands received via the hypervisor, and in response to the processing, communicates security information (e.g., measurements, keys, authorization data) with the virtual machines via the hypervisor. The TPM logic receives security information related to a virtual machine from the hypervisor and stores the security information in non-volatile memory of the HSP circuit, where security information from a particular VM is distinguishable from security information from another VM in the HSP memory. The hypervisor (and VMs) communicate via a network fabric with the HSP circuit within an SOC, or the HSP may reside on a discrete chip and communicate via a secure encrypted channel.