Security Module Compound Operations via Domain-Specific Language
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hardware security modules (HSMs) are limited in performing complex sequences of operations, primarily supporting basic cryptographic functions and lacking an interface for general-purpose computing, which restricts their ability to execute compound operations efficiently and securely.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a domain-specific language (DSL) syntax interface that allows clients to submit compound operations, which are parsed and executed within the security module, enabling sequences of cryptographic operations while keeping intermediate results unexportable, thus enhancing security and reducing network latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a security module supports only basic cryptographic operations, then security and simplicity are maintained, but operational versatility and ability to perform compound operations are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The security module implements a universal interface that accepts compound operations defined in a domain-specific language, allowing a single module to perform diverse cryptographic sequences (encryption, decryption, key generation, signing, verification) through a unified operation model rather than requiring separate dedicated interfaces for each operation type
Solution Approach 2:
A parser component acts as an intermediary between the client's compound operation requests and the security module's execution engine, translating high-level domain-specific language statements into executable operation sequences that the security module can process
2Loss of time
If multiple separate API calls are used to perform compound operations, then each operation can be executed independently, but network latency and operational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple discrete cryptographic operations are merged into a single compound operation request that is transmitted once to the security module and executed as an integrated sequence, eliminating the need for multiple separate network round-trips and reducing cumulative network latency
Solution Approach 2:
The client specifies the complete sequence of operations and their dependencies in advance through the domain-specific language interface, allowing the security module to execute operations in the optimal order without requiring intermediate coordination or additional network communication between steps
3Reliability
If intermediate results are made accessible to external devices, then operational transparency is improved, but security is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The interface extracts and returns only the final result of the compound operation to the client, while intentionally excluding intermediate results from the output stream, thereby maintaining security by preventing exposure of sensitive intermediate cryptographic data
Solution Approach 2:
The limitation on result accessibility is framed as a security feature rather than an operational constraint, where the inability to access intermediate results is presented as a protective mechanism that prevents cryptographic material leakage while the high-level compound operation interface maintains operational transparency at the application level
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods are provided for performing compound operations on a security module. In some embodiments, a hardware security module (HSM) comprises executable code that, as a result of execution by one or more processors of the HSM, causes the HSM to obtain a request to perform a compound operation, parse the compound operation to determine a sequence of operations, perform the sequence of operations within a protected execution environment, wherein one or more intermediate results of the sequence of operations are programmatically unexportable from the protected execution environment, determine, based on complete execution of the sequence of operations, an output, and export the final output from the protected execution environment, thereby making it available to external devices.