Remote Attestation Server for Device Platform Integrity Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for protecting sensitive data on devices are limited as they focus on isolating applications rather than securing them from the entire system, and are susceptible to malware that can circumvent antivirus and firewall measures, leading to unauthorized access and data use.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with data encryption and remote attestation that compares a device's configuration to a statistically known-good state, allowing for remote repair of compromised devices by sending a known-good configuration derived from a majority group of devices, thereby enhancing platform integrity and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing security solutions (antivirus, firewall, isolation techniques) are implemented, then application security is improved, but platform integrity cannot be verified and malware can still circumvent these measures by modifying the underlying platform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an attestation server as an intermediary that mediates between devices and verifies platform integrity. The server receives attestation data from devices, compares it against known-good configurations, and determines whether the platform is compromised. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by providing centralized integrity verification without requiring complex distributed verification mechanisms across multiple devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing known-good configurations for platforms before deployment and distributing reference data to attestation servers. This pre-established baseline allows for efficient runtime verification without requiring complex real-time analysis, resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity by shifting verification preparation to an earlier stage.
2Reliability
If device-specific software and unique system images are used for each device type, then security customization is improved, but scalability and ease of deployment deteriorate due to requiring separate software for each device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal attestation server that can handle multiple device types through a common architecture. The server maintains known-good configurations for different device types and can verify integrity across diverse platforms using the same verification mechanisms. This universal approach resolves the contradiction by enabling security customization for each device type while maintaining a single deployable solution that scales across the entire device fleet.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses parameter changes by storing configuration-specific data (such as hardware identifiers, software versions, and platform characteristics) as variables in the known-good configurations. This allows the same attestation server software to adapt to different device types by loading appropriate configuration parameters, resolving the contradiction between customization and scalability by making device-specificity a configurable parameter rather than a structural requirement.
3Measurement precision
If remote attestation and configuration comparison are implemented, then detection precision is improved, but communication network bandwidth and processing time increase due to transmitting and analyzing device configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential attestation data required for integrity verification from full device configurations. Instead of transmitting and analyzing complete system images or all software components, the system identifies and transmits only the critical configuration elements that determine platform integrity. This extraction approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining high detection precision through focused verification of key configuration parameters while minimizing communication overhead and processing time.
Data Source
AI summary
This invention includes apparatus, systems, and methods for repairing a corrupted device still in the field by sending the corrupted device a known-good configuration derived from the majority group of devices in the field. First, an initial inventory and content scan of the device's hardware and software stack is taken. The attestation server uses the collection of results to determine a statistically known-good configuration for each type of device. The attestation server groups the known good devices by devices and ideally all of the devices of the same type are configured mostly the same. The attestation server sends an alert to the device that the device is configured differently than the plurality of existing devices. Finally, the attestation server will request a known-good configuration from one of the devices in the plurality of existing devices to repair the corrupted device in the field.