Key Caching Container Secure Enclave Hardware
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Solution Overview
Problem
In container-based operating systems, cryptographic keys are challenging to secure due to security concerns, with existing solutions like HSMs and TPMs facing operational, performance, and cost issues, making secure key provisioning and storage difficult.
Innovation Solution
A key caching container utilizes the security features of the host computing system's hardware platform to provide secure key storage and cryptographic operations within a secure enclave, allowing secure key provisioning and operation for other containers, leveraging security-enabled integrated circuit components and secure enclaves for encryption and decryption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If cryptographic keys are stored in main memory for use by containers, then key access speed is improved, but security is worsened due to susceptibility to attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments key management into two distinct components: a key management service that handles key provisioning and a key caching container that provides secure storage. This segmentation allows the key to be kept secure in the caching container while providing fast access to authorized containers through controlled interfaces, resolving the contradiction between security and access speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The key caching container acts as an intermediary between the key management service and workload containers. It receives keys from the management service, stores them securely in an isolated environment, and provides controlled access to workload containers. This intermediary role enables both secure storage and fast access without exposing keys to direct attacks on main memory.
2Reliability
If physical HSMs are used for secure key storage, then security is improved, but device complexity and deployment overhead are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using physical HSM devices, the system creates a software-based key caching container that replicates the secure key storage functionality. This virtualized approach maintains the security benefits of HSM-like protection while eliminating the complexity of physical device deployment, maintenance, and management. The container can be deployed through standard container orchestration mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the mechanical/physical HSM device with a software-based containerized solution. The key caching container uses software-enforced isolation and security features to provide HSM-equivalent protection without requiring physical hardware. This substitution eliminates deployment overhead associated with physical devices while maintaining security through virtualized isolation mechanisms.
3Reliability
If traditional key management solutions are deployed in container environments, then security is improved, but productivity and scalability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The key caching container is designed as a universal solution that can serve multiple workload containers across different computing systems. A single key caching container can provision keys to multiple containers, eliminating the need for separate key management infrastructure for each container. This multi-functional approach maintains security while dramatically improving deployment scalability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a one-to-one key management model (one HSM per container or application) to a many-to-many model where a single key caching container serves multiple containers across multiple computing systems. This dimensional change in the key management architecture enables scalable deployment while maintaining security through the containerized isolation boundary.
Data Source
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AI summary
A key caching container provides for the secure storage of cryptographic keys and the secure operation of cryptographic functions for workload containers. A cryptographic call adapter in each workload container converts application cryptographic operation requests made by an application to workload container cryptographic operation requests that are sent to the key caching container. Secure provision of keys is enabled by a key broker service that acts as a proxy for a key management service. A secure enclave within the key caching container stores keys and instructions that perform cryptographic operations in an encrypted format. The key caching container provides a key handle associated with a cryptographic key to a requesting application, which the application uses in subsequent application cryptographic operation requests. The secure enclave is created and managed using securityrelated instructions in a security-enabled integrated circuit component that is part of a computing system's hardware platform.