Secure Environment Policy Management for Mobile Device Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices present a large security vulnerability due to their capabilities and portability, leading to concerns about information security and privacy, with existing secure environments not allowing independent management of each application, sensor, and asset according to specific security contexts.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing secure partitions on mobile devices for encrypted code execution and communication, with policy-managed secure code execution, containerized application control, and secure messaging, allowing each application and sensor to be managed independently and securely, using a secure environment with adjudicating components and policy decision points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If secure environments are implemented on mobile devices, then security protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the mobile device into multiple secure environments (SEs), each functioning as an isolated execution context. Each SE is assigned specific applications and resources, creating segmented security zones that can be independently managed. This segmentation allows security policies to be applied granularly to different applications without affecting the entire device, thus improving security while managing complexity through modular organization.
Solution Approach 2:
A policy decision point (PDP) server acts as an intermediary between applications and secure environments. The PDP receives policy enforcement requests from applications, evaluates them against stored security policies, and returns decisions to policy enforcement points (PEPs). This intermediary layer centralizes security management logic, reducing the complexity burden on individual applications and devices while maintaining comprehensive security control.
2Reliability
If granular control over each application and sensor is implemented, then security policy enforcement is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each secure environment is assigned specific security policies tailored to its designated applications and resources. The system implements local quality by allowing different security rules to apply to different SEs rather than enforcing uniform policies across the entire device. For example, one SE may have strict restrictions on camera access while another has more permissive rules for messaging applications, enabling precise security control without overwhelming system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The PDP server serves as a centralized intermediary that manages granular security policies for multiple applications and sensors. Instead of embedding complex policy evaluation logic in each application, the system delegates policy decision-making to the PDP, which maintains a repository of security policies and evaluates requests centrally. This intermediary approach enables fine-grained control over each application and sensor while keeping the overall system manageable through centralized policy administration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple secure environments are created for different applications, then independent management is improved, but overhead and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates multiple secure environments that are logically separated but physically share the same device hardware. Each SE is assigned specific applications and resources, enabling independent management and isolation. This segmentation allows the device to maintain multiple security contexts simultaneously without duplicating entire hardware systems, reducing resource overhead while preserving the benefits of independent management for each application.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for policy-managed secure code execution and messaging for computing devices where each trusted application is managed independently of others and is not visible to unauthorized inspection or execution. If a file bundle received by the system contains metadata concerning the context of the file or its execution, the metadata is decrypted if necessary. If the file bundle containing the executable code is encrypted, its key is stored in a policy server to await adjudication of the request to execute. If the policy server allows execution of the executable code, the key stored in the policy server is used to decrypt the file bundle and the resulting executable code is stored as a trusted application in secure memory. Future requests to execute the trusted application are adjudicated by the policy server and enforced by the exclusive policy execution point associated with that trusted application in secure memory.