Isolated Runtime Secrets Management for Secure Compute Instance Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtualization technologies face challenges in securely managing security secrets within compute instances, as credentials are accessible to all software and users, increasing the risk of misuse.
Innovation Solution
Implementing isolated runtime environments (IREs) within compute instances to manage instance secrets, where security secrets are never directly exposed to the instance, using a credential-less authentication protocol and segregated memory access to ensure secure remote resource access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If security secrets are made accessible to all software and users within a compute instance, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the compute instance into isolated runtime environments (IREs) that are segmented from the main instance. Security secrets are placed within these isolated environments, creating distinct security zones. This segmentation allows the main instance to operate with ease while the isolated environment maintains security, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and security.
Solution Approach 2:
The isolated runtime environment acts as an intermediary between the main compute instance and the security secrets. Instead of direct access, the IRE mediates secret management operations, allowing the main instance to benefit from secret management capabilities while the IRE protects the actual secrets from exposure to less-trusted programs.
2Reliability
If isolated runtime environments are implemented, then security is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The isolated runtime environment is designed as a universal component that can be deployed across multiple compute instances and serves multiple functions: secret storage, secret management operations, and security isolation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining improved security.
3Reliability
If security secrets are isolated from less-trusted programs, then security is improved, but ease of operation is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The IRE serves as an intermediary that provides controlled access to security secrets. Less-trusted programs in the main instance can request secret management operations through the IRE interface, and the IRE mediates these requests by performing operations within the isolated environment. This maintains security isolation while preserving operational ease through a simplified interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The isolated runtime environment implements self-service capabilities for secret management, automatically handling secret generation, storage, and retrieval operations without requiring direct access by less-trusted programs. This self-service approach maintains security isolation while easing operational complexity by automating secret management tasks.
Data Source
AI summary
An instance secrets management isolated runtime environment is launched at a virtualization server, and utilizes a subset of memory assigned to a compute instance. The subset of memory is inaccessible from entities external to the runtime environment. A secrets manager of the runtime environment provides a security artifact to an application, running at the compute instance, which has requested access to a resource. The artifact is generated by the secrets manager using a security secret associated with the compute instance; the secret is not accessible to programs external to the runtime environment. In response to a determination that the artifact is valid, the application obtains access to the resource.