Virtual Mobile Device Platform for Secure OS Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices face significant security challenges due to their mobility, particularly in high assurance computing environments, where securing physical devices is insufficient and expensive, and there is a need for innovative solutions to separate sensitive applications from non-sensitive data and networks within a single device.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for dynamically switching operating systems in a virtual mobile device platform, allowing users to seamlessly switch between multiple operating systems and applications, with virtual devices hosted in a secure data center, providing isolated environments for sensitive and non-sensitive tasks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical devices are secured in high assurance computing environments, then security is improved, but cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mobile device into multiple virtual devices, each running different operating systems (e.g., iOS, Android, Windows Mobile). This allows sensitive applications to be isolated in separate virtual environments, achieving security without requiring physical high-assurance hardware. The virtual device manager coordinates these segmented environments, providing security through software-based isolation rather than complex physical security measures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual copies of mobile devices that replicate the functionality of physical devices but run in isolated virtual environments. These virtual devices can be provisioned, managed, and secured independently, allowing organizations to deploy multiple operating systems and applications without the complexity of securing physical hardware at the high-assurance level.
2Reliability
If multiple physical devices are issued for separate personal and business use, then security is improved, but user convenience and mobility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables a single physical mobile device to function as multiple virtual devices simultaneously, each capable of running different operating systems and applications. This universal approach allows users to access both personal and business applications on one device without switching physical phones, maintaining convenience while achieving security through virtual isolation. The virtual device manager handles the complexity of managing multiple OS environments transparently to the user.
3Reliability
If applications are separated into different operating systems within a single device, then security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual device manager as an intermediary component that coordinates and manages multiple virtual devices and operating systems within the single physical device. This manager handles the complexity of resource allocation, application routing, and system coordination, allowing secure multi-OS operation without requiring the user or application developer to manage the underlying complexity directly.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments disclosed herein provide a system, method, and computer program product for dynamically switching virtual devices in a virtual mobile device platform. The virtual devices may use any desired operating system or operating system version. In some embodiments, a launch application installed on a secondary virtual device is defined for opening a file of a given file type. Upon a request to open a file of the given file type, the secondary virtual device is launched, and a connection is established with a client device. A client device can connect to a secondary virtual device by using a primary virtual device as a proxy, or by using a bypass channel connection.