Secure Memory Interface for Hypervisor-Independent Storage Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cloud computing systems lack effective security mechanisms to isolate secure storage between different entities, particularly when relying on hypervisors that can be compromised, leading to potential data breaches and loss of security.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a secure-storage bit and a secure interface control in hardware to tag secure pages, preventing access by non-secure entities and ensuring isolation without relying on the hypervisor, combined with fine-grain checks for secure guests and courser-grain indications for non-secure guests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If hypervisor-based virtualization is used to provide memory management and isolation, then resource sharing and virtualization services are enabled, but security isolation between guest VMs cannot be guaranteed if the hypervisor is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hardware mediator (secure memory interface circuitry) between the hypervisor and guest VMs to enforce security isolation. This hardware layer acts as an intermediary that guarantees isolation even when the hypervisor is compromised, as the security enforcement is moved from software (hypervisor) to hardware level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the software-based security mechanism (hypervisor controlling memory access) with a hardware-based mechanism (secure memory interface circuitry). This substitution ensures that security isolation is enforced by physical hardware rather than software, making it impossible for a compromised hypervisor to bypass the isolation.
2Reliability
If fine-grain security checks are performed for all memory accesses, then security isolation is ensured, but processing overhead increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different security check granularities to different memory access scenarios. Fine-grain checks are performed only for secure guest accesses, while coarse-grain checks are used for non-secure accesses. This local differentiation of security check quality optimizes the balance between security and performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs security checks partially - only when necessary (for secure guests) rather than for all memory accesses. This partial action approach reduces unnecessary processing overhead while maintaining security where it matters most.
3Ease of operation
If the hypervisor provides all memory management services, then ease of operation is maintained, but security control is lost when hypervisor is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The hardware secure memory interface circuitry serves as an intermediary between the hypervisor and guest memory, maintaining transparent virtualization services while providing independent security control. This intermediary ensures that even if the hypervisor is compromised, the guest VMs retain security control through the hardware layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the memory management function into two independent parts: the hypervisor handles virtualization services (page-in/page-out operations), while the hardware secure memory interface circuitry handles security isolation. This segmentation allows each component to specialize, with the hardware ensuring security regardless of hypervisor state.
Data Source
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AI summary
An computer-implemented method according to examples includes receiving, by a secure interface control of a computing system, a request by a requestor to access a page in a memory of the computing system. The method further includes, responsive to determining that the requestor is a non-secure requestor and responsive to a secure- storage bit being set, prohibiting access to the page without performing an authorization check. The method further includes, responsive to determining that the requestor is a secure requestor, performing the authorization check.