Securing the Platform
Award No:
0430487, 0430566
0430598
Project Title:
SecureCore for
Trustworthy Commodity
Computing and
Communication
Investigators:
Terry V. Benzel,
Mung Chiang,
Cynthia E. Irvine,
Ruby Lee (PI)
Institution:
Princeton U, Naval
Postgraduate School,
USC/Information
Sciences Institute
Website:
Description of Graphic Image:
In the SecureCore architecture white regions are trusted while
colored regions possess different security attributes. Most of the time
executing processes are those managed by generic operating
systems that are supported by SecureCore Security Services. A
local or remote trusted signal can actuate “transient trust mode”
where a trusted process executes. The white process is trusted over
a range of security attributes. Applications such as secure signing
can be supported in transient trust mode.
Project Description and Outcome
http://cisr.nps.navy.mil/
projects/securecore.html
The goal is integrated support for security, performance, functionality and usability in mobile
platforms, and advancements in processor ISA, OS kernels, and secure network protocols.
IDEAS
Current and ongoing advances include: a security architecture based on a least privilege
separation kernel for assured control of transient-trust-mode subjects, the model for kernelbased control of read-down by virtual machines and intransitive information flow that does not
require trusted subjects, a model and hardware support mechanism for temporal access
control, design of a hardware-assisted object reuse mechanism for secure devices, a design
for a processor ISA for storage and management of critical secrets, a provably most efficient
algorithm for resource and trust management of ad hoc networks.
TOOLS
Ongoing development of hardware simulator support for the exploration of secure hardware
and software co-design.
PEOPLE
The project has produced a set of design principles for secure systems and a threat taxonomy
for ad hoc wireless networks. Both are being adapted for classroom use.
Taxonomy of Security Design Principles
Security Design Principles
Structure
Logic and Function
System Life Cycle
Economy and Elegance
Secure Defaults
Repeatab le, Documented Procedures
Secure Failure
Procedural Rigor
Least Common Mechanism
Self Analysis
Secure System Modification
Clear Ab stractions
Accountab ility and Traceab ility
Sufficient User Documentation
Partially Ordered Dependencies
Continuous Protection of Information
Efficiently Mediated Access
Economic Security
Minimized Sharing
Performance Security
Reduced Complexity
Ergonomic Security
Secure System Evolution
Acceptab le Security
Trust
Trusted Components
Hierarchical Trust for Components .
Inverse Modification Threshold
Hierarchical Protection
Minimized Security Elements
Least Privilege
Self-Reliant Trustworthiness
Composition
Secure Distrib uted Composition
Trusted Communication Channels
The taxonomy of security design principles provides logical groupings of key notions that
apply throughout the lifecycle of a secure system. This taxonomy reflects advances in
technology that have introduced new concerns into the system design space.