Operating System Independent Integrity Verification Subsystem
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile device security mechanisms fail to reliably protect against sideloading, bootloader jailbreaking, and run-time exploitation, as they typically perform integrity checks only at installation time or with the involvement of the operating system, leaving gaps in security, especially in virtualized mobile computing environments.
Innovation Solution
A modular, virtualized system architecture with an integrity verification subsystem that operates independently of the operating system, performing block-based verification at load time and run time, using secure boot logic and digital signatures to ensure the integrity of firmware and software, and isolating user-level execution environments to maintain security and privacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If integrity checks are performed only at installation time or with operating system involvement, then the simplicity of the security mechanism is maintained, but the reliability of security protection deteriorates due to inability to protect against sideloading, bootloader jailbreaking, and run-time exploitation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the security verification function from the operating system by implementing a dedicated integrity verification subsystem that operates independently. This subsystem performs block-based integrity checks on firmware and software modules without requiring operating system involvement, thereby improving security reliability while maintaining manageable complexity through functional separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary integrity verification subsystem that acts as a mediator between the hardware firmware and the operating system. This subsystem verifies the integrity of bootloaders and software modules before they are executed by the operating system, providing enhanced security protection without requiring the operating system itself to be modified or involved in the verification process.
2Reliability
If a monolithic vertical system architecture is used, then the ease of manufacture and deployment is improved, but the reliability of security control deteriorates because execution of file systems, device drivers, and software stacks is controlled by the operating system kernel, allowing security issues to impact the entire system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements segmentation by dividing the system into distinct security domains: a trusted execution environment that handles integrity verification and a user-level execution environment that runs applications. This segmentation isolates security-critical operations from the general-purpose operating system, ensuring that security issues in one domain cannot compromise the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the integrity verification function from the operating system kernel and places it in a separate trusted execution environment. This extraction allows the verification subsystem to operate independently with full system access rights without being constrained by operating system policies, thereby improving security control reliability while maintaining implementation feasibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If virtualization technology is applied to mobile devices, then the adaptability and flexibility of the system is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring integrity deteriorates due to additional layers of abstraction between the hardware and software
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary integrity verification subsystem that operates at the boundary between the virtualized environment and the hardware firmware. This subsystem directly verifies the integrity of firmware and software modules by comparing their actual state against trusted reference values, bypassing the complexity introduced by virtualization layers and maintaining straightforward integrity detection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrity verification subsystem performs self-verification by maintaining its own trusted reference values and verification logic independent of the virtualization layer. This self-service approach allows the subsystem to verify integrity without relying on the virtualized operating system or hypervisor, thereby simplifying the detection and measurement process despite the presence of virtualization technology.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrity verification subsystem can verify the integrity of software and firmware modules on a computing device at load time and/or at run time, independently of any operating systems that may be installed on the computing device. Some versions of the integrity verification subsystem can operate in physical and/or virtualized system environments, including virtualized mobile device architectures.