Trusted Memory Isolation With Peripheral Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computing systems lack effective mechanisms to securely isolate trusted computing components from non-trusted components, leading to potential security vulnerabilities.
Innovation Solution
A computing system design that segregates system memory into normal and isolated memory spaces, with a chipset managing access permissions based on memory protection configuration information, allowing only trusted peripherals to access isolated memory and normal peripherals to access normal memory, while utilizing a specialized security interrupt controller for trusted computing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If system memory is partitioned into normal and isolated memory, then security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system memory is segmented into normal memory and isolated memory regions. The isolated memory is further divided into isolated memory space and reserved memory space. This segmentation allows trusted computing components to access only specific memory regions while normal components access normal memory, thereby improving security without requiring complete memory isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
A monitor component is introduced as an intermediary between peripherals and memory. The monitor receives memory access requests from peripherals, checks whether the requesting peripheral is trusted, and decides whether to grant access to isolated memory. This intermediary mechanism automates security enforcement, reducing manual configuration complexity while maintaining strong security boundaries.
2Reliability
If access control mechanisms are implemented for memory, then security is improved, but processing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary classification of peripherals as trusted or untrusted during system initialization. Trusted peripherals are identified and granted pre-configured access rights to isolated memory. This preliminary action eliminates the need for runtime security checks for trusted components, allowing them to access isolated memory at full speed without interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
Trusted peripherals are configured with self-service access capabilities to isolated memory through pre-established communication channels. Once a peripheral is verified as trusted, it can directly access isolated memory without requiring continuous authorization requests. This self-service mechanism significantly reduces processing overhead and maintains high access speeds for authorized components.
3Reliability
If trusted cores and security peripherals are isolated from normal components, then security is improved, but system adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The critical security functions are extracted into a separate trusted computing environment with dedicated trusted cores and isolated memory. Normal peripherals and their drivers remain in the untrusted environment and can be freely developed and updated. This extraction allows the untrusted environment to maintain high adaptability while the trusted environment provides strong security boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitor component provides universal access control services for all peripherals attempting to access isolated memory. Rather than requiring separate access control mechanisms for each peripheral, the monitor serves as a universal gatekeeper that handles authorization requests from any peripheral type. This universal mechanism maintains system adaptability while enforcing security policies consistently across all components.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing system with trusted computing is shown. The processor includes a normal core, and a trusted core for trusted computing. The system memory provides a normal memory, and an isolated memory for trusted computing. The chipset for the communication among the processor, the system memory, and peripherals includes a monitor and records memory protection configuration information. According to the memory protection configuration information, the monitor permits security peripherals to access the isolated memory, and prohibits normal peripherals from accessing the isolated memory.