Hypervisor Network Security Layer for VM Malware Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies fail to adequately protect virtual machines from malware attacks that exploit security vulnerabilities in hypervisors during communications, particularly in hypervisor-mediated environments.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a network security layer in the hypervisor that authenticates and authorizes incoming communications by intercepting and decrypting network packets using single-use cryptographic keys, comparing packet parameters with expected values, and monitoring communication pathways to ensure secure transmission to virtual devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a network security layer is implemented in the hypervisor to intercept and authenticate network packets, then security against malware attacks is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network security layer as an intermediary component within the hypervisor that sits between network packets and virtual machines. This security layer intercepts, authenticates, and authorizes packets before they reach the virtual machines, effectively mediating the communication to prevent malware attacks while maintaining the existing virtualization architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The hypervisor is segmented into functional components including the network security layer, virtual machine monitor, and device emulation layer. This segmentation allows the security functions to be isolated and managed independently, reducing the overall complexity by dividing the security workload into discrete, manageable modules that can be implemented and maintained more easily.
2Reliability
If single-use cryptographic keys are used for decrypting network packets, then authentication security is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing secure communication pathways and pre-configuring authentication parameters before actual data transmission occurs. The network security layer pre-processes packet authentication and decryption setup, so that when packets arrive, the cryptographic operations can proceed more efficiently without requiring real-time key generation or complex authentication protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to network security software cooperatively configured on plural nodes to authenticate and authorize devices, applications, users, and data protocol in network communications by exchanging nonpublic identification codes, application identifiers, and data type identifiers via pre-established communication pathways and comparing against pre-established values to provide authorized communication and prevent compromised nodes from spreading malware to other nodes.