Software Signing Pipelines for Multi-Key Image Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cryptographic verification methods rely solely on secure signing systems, making them vulnerable to compromise, which can lead to untrustworthy software execution on endpoint devices.
Innovation Solution
Implement a signing pipeline that requires software images to be signed multiple times using different keys from distinct organizations, ensuring diversity and redundancy in the signing process to enhance trustworthiness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single signing system is used to sign software images, then the signing process is simple and fast, but the security is compromised because a single point of failure exists
Solution Approach 1:
The signing system is segmented into multiple independent signing systems (first signing system, second signing system, etc.), each capable of signing software images independently. This segmentation eliminates the single point of failure by distributing the signing function across multiple systems, thereby improving security while managing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
A pipeline manager is introduced as an intermediary component that coordinates between multiple signing systems and the software image. The pipeline manager receives the software image, directs it through the appropriate signing systems in sequence, and manages the overall signing pipeline configuration, thus handling the complexity of multi-system coordination centrally.
2Reliability
If multiple signing systems are used to sign software images, then security is improved through multiple signatures, but the signing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The pipeline manager pre-configures the signing pipeline with multiple signing systems before the actual signing process begins. By establishing the sequence and relationships between signing systems in advance, the system prepares the signing infrastructure proactively, allowing the actual signing to proceed efficiently without ad-hoc coordination delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The signing pipeline enables continuous processing of software images through multiple signing systems in a streamlined sequence. Once the pipeline is established, software images flow continuously through each signing system without interruption, maintaining productive action throughout the multi-system signing process and minimizing idle time between signing operations.
3Reliability
If validation rules require multiple signatures from different signing systems, then the security validation is strengthened, but the complexity of managing signing pipelines increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pipeline manager automatically manages the complexity of coordinating multiple signing systems and validation rules without requiring manual intervention. It self-configures the signing pipeline based on validation requirements, automatically directs software images through the appropriate signing systems, and handles the coordination logic internally, thus enabling strong validation security while keeping the management interface simple.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for using signing pipelines to secure endpoint systems are disclosed. Endpoint systems may be secured using signed images that are signed by the signing pipelines. The signing pipelines may be based on validation rules implemented by the endpoint systems. The validation rules may be analyzed to identify how images must be signed based on the validation rules. The manner in which the images must be signed may be used to instantiate the signing pipeline.