Ultravisor Secure Partitioning for Cloud Data Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cloud computing security techniques fail to adequately protect client data and application code from unauthorized access, especially in public cloud environments, where third-party providers may inadvertently or intentionally disclose sensitive information.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented using secure virtual machines and an ultravisor to create a shared memory space with restricted access, where client data and application code are processed, and results are communicated through an API, ensuring that only authorized entities can access the shared memory and encrypted persistent storage, preventing unauthorized access and theft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cloud computing uses shared physical infrastructure with multiple tenants, then resource utilization and scalability are improved, but security risks and unauthorized access to client data increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the cloud infrastructure into isolated virtual machine environments, where each tenant's computing resources are partitioned into separate virtual machines with dedicated memory spaces. This segmentation prevents unauthorized access between tenants while maintaining high resource utilization through shared physical infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nested virtualization where virtual machines are nested within a cloud platform that provides layered security enforcement. The ultravisor component operates at a higher level to enforce security policies on nested virtual machine instances, creating a nested structure where security context is preserved across multiple virtualization layers.
2Reliability
If cloud providers implement strong security measures to protect client data, then data security is improved, but system complexity and operational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service security where the virtual machine environment automatically enforces isolation and protection policies without requiring manual configuration. The ultravisor automatically manages security contexts and access controls for nested virtual machines, reducing operational overhead while maintaining strong security guarantees.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal security framework that provides multiple security functions through a single integrated system. The ultravisor simultaneously provides memory isolation, access control, and security policy enforcement across all virtual machine instances, reducing overall system complexity compared to separate security mechanisms.
3Reliability
If application code is made accessible to clients for transparency, then trust and verification are improved, but code theft and intellectual property loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the application code from the virtual machine environment and stores it externally in a secure code repository. This extraction allows clients to verify code integrity through cryptographic proofs without the code being accessible within the virtual machine, preventing code theft while maintaining verification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism where cryptographic proofs and attestation data serve as intermediaries between the application code and clients. Clients can verify code authenticity through these intermediaries without direct access to the code itself, enabling trust without exposure.
Data Source
AI summary
A secure cloud computing environment protects the confidentiality of application code from a customer while simultaneously protecting the confidentiality of a customer's data from intentional or inadvertent leaks by the application code. This result is accomplished without the need to trust the application code and without requiring human surveillance or intervention. A client secure virtual machine (SVM) is accessible by a client who supplies commands, operand data and application data. An appliance SVM has the application code loaded therein and includes an application program interface that accesses a memory area shared by both SVMs. All access to the appliance SVM is initially revoked by an ultravisor, except for the shared memory and an encrypted persistent storage. The appliance SVM stores the application data in the persistent storage. The ultravisor manages an SVM by maintaining exclusive control over a device tree used by the operating system of the SVM.