TEE Provisioning Through Platform Chain of Trust
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing confidential computing solutions in distributed computing systems are not secure end-to-end, as cloud providers can potentially know or manipulate the secrets used to protect data, and the code is not confidential.
Innovation Solution
Provisioning a trusted execution environment (TEE) based on a chain of trust that includes a platform, where the TEE is customized with information such as policies, secret keys, and secret data without other parties knowing or manipulating it, using a chain of trust established through platform measurements signed with a platform signing key.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional confidential computing solutions are employed, then data protection is provided, but the secrets for protecting data are potentially knowable by cloud providers and the code is not confidential
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the computing environment into distinct trusted execution environments (TEEs) that are isolated from the cloud provider's control. Each TEE is a separate secure container that holds secrets and code, preventing the cloud provider from accessing or knowing these protected elements while still allowing the provider to manage the underlying infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces trusted execution environments as intermediary secure containers between the cloud provider's infrastructure and the customer's sensitive data/code. These TEEs act as mediators that prevent the cloud provider from directly accessing secrets while still enabling cloud-based computation, thus resolving the contradiction between using cloud services and maintaining secret confidentiality.
2Productivity
If data is moved to distributed computing systems, then computing power and scalability are improved, but data becomes vulnerable to attacks while in use
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by pre-establishing security measures through trusted execution environments before data is exposed to the distributed computing system. The TEEs are configured with security policies and protections in advance, creating a secure container that prevents attacks while the data is being processed, thus allowing data to be moved to distributed systems without vulnerability.
Solution Approach 2:
Trusted execution environments serve as intermediary secure containers that enable data to be processed in distributed computing systems while protecting against attacks. The TEEs isolate the data and code from the untrusted distributed environment, allowing the system to gain computing power benefits without exposing data to security threats.
3Ease of operation
If cloud providers manage the computing infrastructure, then ease of operation is improved, but control over secret data and code is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments control authority between the cloud provider and the customer by creating isolated trusted execution environments. The cloud provider maintains control over the infrastructure layer, while the customer maintains control over the secrets and code within the TEEs. This segmentation allows easy operation of the infrastructure while preserving reliable customer control over sensitive elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by giving different levels of control to different parties in specific locations within the system architecture. The cloud provider has operational control locally at the infrastructure level, while the customer has exclusive control locally within the TEEs. This differentiated local control resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and control over secrets.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are described herein that are capable of provisioning a trusted execution environment (TEE) based on (e.g., based at least in part on) a chain of trust that includes a platform on which the TEE executes. Any suitable number of TEEs may be provisioned. For instance, a chain of trust may be established from each TEE to the platform on which an operating system that launched the TEE runs. Any two or more TEEs may be launched by operating system(s) running on the same platform or by different operating systems running on respective platforms. Once the chain of trust is established for a TEE, the TEE can be provisioned with information, including but not limited to policies, secret keys, secret data, and/or secret code. Accordingly, the TEE can be customized with the information without other parties, such as a cloud provider, being able to know or manipulate the information.