Virtualized OS Authorization via Cryptographic Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile communication devices with virtualized operating systems are susceptible to security vulnerabilities due to the underlying platform's lack of enhanced security measures, which can compromise the trusted operation of multiple isolated operating systems.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a hardware and software architecture that utilizes cryptography based on public and private keys to secure operating systems, enforcing separate roots of trust and security policies to ensure trusted operation, including the use of trusted platform modules (TPMs) and secure elements for encryption and key management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If device virtualization is implemented to run multiple operating systems on one device, then the versatility and functionality of the device is improved, but the security of the underlying platform deteriorates due to susceptibility to security vulnerabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the computing device into multiple isolated virtual machines, each running its own operating system with separate memory spaces and protected execution environments. This segmentation allows multiple OSes to run simultaneously while preventing security vulnerabilities in one OS from affecting others, thus maintaining both versatility and security.
Solution Approach 2:
A hypervisor acts as an intermediary layer between the hardware and multiple operating systems, managing resource allocation and enforcing security policies. The hypervisor mediates all interactions between virtual machines and hardware, providing isolation and security controls that protect the underlying platform while enabling multi-OS functionality.
2Ease of operation
If multiple virtualized operating systems are allowed to access hardware devices, then the functionality and usability of the device is improved, but the risk of unauthorized access and security breaches increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements local quality by providing each virtual machine with specific, tailored access rights to hardware devices based on its operational requirements. Instead of uniform access control, each OS receives precisely the hardware permissions it needs, minimizing security risks while maintaining necessary functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The hypervisor serves as an intermediary that controls and monitors all hardware access requests from virtual machines. It enforces security policies, validates access permissions, and mediates I/O operations between virtualized OSes and physical hardware, preventing unauthorized access while enabling legitimate device usage.
3Device complexity
If shared secret keys are used for authentication between operating systems, then the simplicity of authentication is improved, but the security is compromised if one operating system is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system segments security credentials by implementing separate authentication keys for each virtual machine and the hypervisor. This segmentation ensures that compromise of one VM's authentication credentials does not affect other VMs or the hypervisor, maintaining security isolation while keeping the authentication mechanism relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of sharing a single secret key, the system creates multiple copies of authentication credentials, each unique to a specific virtual machine or the hypervisor. This copying approach allows each entity to have its own authentication pair, providing simplicity in implementation while ensuring that compromise of one copy does not affect others.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of authorizing an operation to be performed on a targeted computing device is provided. The method includes generating a request to perform an operation on the targeted computing device, signing the request with a private key of a first private, public key pair, transmitting the request to an authentication server, receiving an authorization response from the authentication server that includes the request and an authorization token, and transmitting the authorization response to the targeted computing device.