Virtualized Process Credential Integrity Checks Against Privilege Escalation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Virtualized systems are vulnerable to privilege escalation attacks that compromise process credentials, which can lead to unauthorized access and malicious behavior, as conventional methods lack effective protection mechanisms for ensuring the integrity of these credentials.
Innovation Solution
A process credential protection module that registers and tracks the lifecycle of guest operating system credentials using hash or HMAC values, verifies their integrity at predefined points, and takes corrective actions upon detection of corruption or unauthorized changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If virtualization is implemented to allow multiple operating systems to run concurrently, then system resource utilization and flexibility are improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to privilege escalation attacks that compromise process credentials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by computing and storing hash values of credential structures before they can be modified. The hypervisor captures the original credential state, generates a hash, and stores it for later verification. This preventive measure ensures that even if credentials are compromised during runtime, the system can detect the modification by comparing against the pre-computed hash value.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through continuous integrity verification of credential structures. The hypervisor periodically or on-demand computes hash values of current credential states and compares them against stored baseline hashes. When discrepancies are detected, the system can trigger remedial actions such as terminating the affected process or alerting security personnel, creating a closed-loop security mechanism.
2Device complexity
If conventional virtualization methods are used without additional protection mechanisms, then device complexity is reduced, but the integrity of process credentials cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the hypervisor acts as a trusted mediator between the guest operating system and the credential structures. The hypervisor intercepts and verifies credential-related operations, computing hash values and comparing them against stored baselines. This intermediary layer provides security verification without requiring modifications to the guest OS, maintaining relative simplicity while ensuring credential integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical security mechanisms (such as access control lists and permission bits) with a cryptographic hash-based verification system. Instead of relying on complex permission checks and trust boundaries, the system uses hash function computations to verify credential integrity. This substitution simplifies the security model while providing stronger guarantees against unauthorized modification.
Data Source
AI summary
Process credential protection in a virtualized system is described. In-guest process credentials of a guest operating system are registered including binding the process credentials with the following values: a guest address of a first structure that includes subjective credentials, a guest address of a second structure that includes a context in which the process credentials reside, and data fields of the first structure that are not subject to change. A first tag is created from at least the information bound with the process credentials and stored. An integrity verification check is performed at a verification point that is triggered by a function or system call being called by the guest operating system, and includes creating a second tag from at least the information bound with the process credentials and determining if the first tag and second tag match. If they do not match, then the integrity of the in-guest process credentials has been compromised and remedial action is taken.