Self-Correcting Secure Computer System Boot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current operating systems executed from persistent memory are vulnerable to persistent attacks due to resource-intensive integrity verification and tracking of changes, which is time-consuming and prone to lengthy random access times.
Innovation Solution
A self-correcting secure computer system loads a trusted operating system configuration from read-only memory (ROM) into volatile random access memory (RAM) during boot, executing it from RAM and automatically erasing RAM data upon shutdown or reboot, while allowing selective access to persistent storage and network disconnection to prevent malicious activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If operating systems are executed from persistent memory, then data persistence is improved, but vulnerability to persistent attacks increases and random access time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides memory into two distinct segments: persistent memory for data storage and volatile RAM for executing a clean operating system copy. This segmentation allows the system to maintain data persistence while preventing malware from persisting in the execution environment, as each reboot loads a fresh OS copy from the immutable persistent storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The persistent memory is pre-configured with an immutable operating system image before the system operates. This preliminary action ensures that a trusted, unmodified OS is always available to load into volatile memory, preventing attacks that rely on modifying the OS after it has been deployed to persistent storage.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If operating systems are executed from persistent memory, then data persistence is improved, but processing time increases due to lengthy random access times
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the time-critical OS execution functions from persistent memory and places them in volatile RAM. By separating the immutable OS image (stored in persistent memory) from the active execution copy (in volatile memory), the system achieves both fast random access for OS operations and data persistence, eliminating the trade-off between the two requirements.
3Reliability
If integrity verification of operating system in persistent memory is performed, then security is improved, but resource consumption increases and processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Integrity verification is performed preliminarily during the manufacturing or deployment phase, creating an immutable trusted OS image in persistent memory. This preliminary verification eliminates the need for repeated resource-intensive checks during normal operation, as the immutable nature of the stored image guarantees its integrity without requiring continuous verification resources.
Data Source
AI summary
A self-correcting secure computer system is provided. The computer system includes a read-only memory (ROM) device, a random access memory (RAM) device, and at least one processor in communication with the ROM device and the RAM device. The at least one processor is programmed to receive an activation signal, retrieve, from the ROM device, data to execute an operating system, and execute, on the RAM device, the operating system based on the data from the ROM device.