ROMP Attestation Enforcement for Changing Memory Protection Status
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ROMP technologies do not provide a solution for determining if a software component at a client system is protected by ROMP when communicating with a relying party system, leaving systems vulnerable to data corruption and attacks.
Innovation Solution
Generation of an attestation report that certifies the presence and properties of ROMP-protected software components, allowing a relying system to verify integrity before engaging in communication, and proactive enforcement of attestation during a validity period to ensure continued protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ROMP technology is implemented to protect memory from corruption and attacks, then security against data corruption is improved, but there is no mechanism to verify the protection status when communicating with relying party systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by generating an attestation report that certifies the presence and properties of ROMP-protected software components before communication occurs. The client system creates this attestation report containing cryptographic evidence of ROMP protection status, allowing the relying system to verify integrity in advance of any data exchange, thus resolving the verification complexity issue while maintaining security improvements.
2Measurement precision
If attestation reports are generated to certify ROMP protection status, then verifying integrity before communication is enabled, but the attestation may become invalid if ROMP status changes during the validity period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by monitoring the ROMP status of software components during the attestation validity period. The system detects changes in ROMP protection status and responds by invalidating the attestation report when modifications occur, ensuring that the attestation remains reliable throughout its validity period. This feedback mechanism maintains both verification accuracy and attestation reliability by dynamically responding to status changes.
3Reliability
If read-only protected memory is implemented using traditional hardware-based solutions, then protection against corruption is achieved, but hardware requirements and system cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanics substitution by replacing hardware-based read-only memory protection with a software-based ROMP (Read-Only Memory Protection) mechanism. Instead of using physical hardware solutions like traditional ROM or hardware security modules, the system uses software-controlled memory protection with hypervisor-based SLAT (Second Level Address Translation) to achieve the same corruption protection goals while reducing hardware requirements and system cost.
Data Source
AI summary
Enforcing attestation of read-only protected memory during attestation validity period. A client computer system identifies a change in a read-only protected memory protection status for a software component loaded at the client computer system. The client computer system then determines that a validity time period of an attestation report is unexpired. The attestation report comprises one or more attested properties, including one or more read-only memory protection (ROMP) attested properties for the software component. The client computer system also determines that at least one ROMP attested property for the software component is no longer valid due to the change in the read-only protected memory protection status for a software component. Based on the at least one ROMP attested property for the software component being no longer valid, the client computer system initiates a remedial action to prevent interaction of the software component with a relying party computer system.