Internet Cleanroom Nested Virtualization for Application Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Client-side network applications pose a significant risk to operating systems and users due to their large code-base, and existing antivirus and intrusion detection systems are ineffective against new attacks, while current application sandboxing mechanisms are either insufficient or difficult to deploy, leaving users vulnerable to intra- and inter-application attacks.
Innovation Solution
A system architecture called Internet Cleanroom uses two levels of virtualization to create a clean, isolated environment for network applications, with a detection mechanism that runs outside light-weight virtualization to detect unauthorized intrusions and restore the environment to a pristine state, ensuring strong isolation and low overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If application sandboxing mechanisms are implemented to isolate network applications, then security against malicious attacks is improved, but deployment difficulty and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the execution environment into isolated sandboxes for each network application. Each sandbox is a separate virtualized environment that runs applications in confinement, preventing malicious code from affecting the host system or other applications. This segmentation approach provides strong security isolation while maintaining manageable system architecture through clear boundaries between components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a sandbox management component as an intermediary between the host system and network applications. This mediator handles application lifecycle management, resource allocation, and security policy enforcement, simplifying the overall system architecture by centralizing complex sandboxing operations and providing a unified interface for security management.
2Reliability
If strong sandboxing isolation is implemented to prevent malware propagation, then security reliability is improved, but ease of deployment to end-user desktops deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sandboxing system is designed as a universal platform that can host multiple different network applications simultaneously, each in its own isolated environment. The system provides multi-functional capabilities including web browsing, file management, and application execution within sandboxes, making it suitable for various end-user scenarios and simplifying deployment across different use cases with a single unified solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The sandbox environment automatically manages its own isolation and security boundaries without requiring complex manual configuration by end users. The system self-configures virtualized resources, enforces security policies, and manages application lifecycles automatically, reducing deployment complexity and making the solution accessible to typical end users without requiring specialized technical knowledge.
3Ease of manufacture
If language or process level sandboxing is used to isolate applications, then ease of deployment is improved, but security strength deteriorates due to susceptibility to bypass
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements nested virtualization where sandboxes are created within a virtualized operating system environment that itself runs on the host. This nested structure provides multiple layers of isolation - the inner sandbox isolates the application, while the outer virtualized OS provides an additional security layer. This nested approach maintains strong security boundaries while preserving ease of deployment through systematic layering of protection mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional single-level sandboxing to multi-dimensional isolation by introducing virtualized operating system layers between the host and application sandboxes. This dimensional change creates vertical layers of security boundaries rather than relying solely on horizontal process isolation, providing stronger security guarantees while maintaining deployment simplicity through automated virtualization management.
Data Source
AI summary
Processor(s) for detecting malicious software. A hardware virtual machine monitor (HVMM) operates under a host OS. Container(s) initialized with network application template(s) operate under a guest OS VM. A detection module operates under the guest OS VM includes a trigger detection module, a logging module and a container command module. The trigger detection module monitors activity on container(s) for a trigger event. The logging module writes activity report(s) in response to trigger event(s). The container command module issues command(s) in response to trigger event(s). The command(s) include a container start, stop and revert commands. A virtual machine control console operates under the host OS and starts/stops the HVMM. A container control module operates under the guest OSVM and controls container(s) in response to the command(s). The server communication module sends activity report(s) to a central collection network appliance that maintains a repository of activities for infected devices.