Trusted virtual machine as a client

• US 8,539,551 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2008
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Masuoka, Ryusuke, Song, Zhexuan
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS, LINGLAN E
• Application Number:
  US12/326,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20090172781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,750 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/3, 709/203, 717174-178
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security

Abstract

The embodiments provide generating a dedicated virtual machine image (DVMI) including functionality for a target service provider and launching the DVMI in the host device as a dedicated virtual machine (DVM). A measurement of the DVMI and/or the launched DVM, as a Trusted Dedicated Virtual Machine (TDVM), is transmitted to the target service provider server. The target service provider determines a trust level for the TDVM, based upon the measurement and provides a level of service by the target service provider server to the TDVM, according to the trust level of the TDVM.

Claims

1. A trusted computing method, comprising:

generating a dedicated virtual machine image (DVMI) including an application for a target service provider and only operating system (OS) functionality for the application of the target service provider, and reducing OS file system usage of the application for the target service provider by using a memory image and/or a file system image of files to transact with the target service provider;

storing the DVMI in a portable computing device;

responsive to a communicable connection by the portable computing device to a host device, executing a process of;

verifying the host device by;

executing a host verifier on the portable computing device,

retrieving by the host verifier a host measurement from the host device,

transmitting the host measurement to a server of the target service provider,

verifying by the target service provider server the host device based upon the host measurement, and

launching the DVMI in the host device as a dedicated virtual machine (DVM) by;

requesting by the host device a token from the target service provider server including transmitting, to the target service provider server, a measurement of both the host device including the DVM and a measurement of the portable computing device,

determining by the target service provider whether to issue a token based on the measurement information sent from the host device, and

launching the DVM upon receipt of the token by the host device, wherein a determination by the target service provider of a trust level for the DVM is based upon the verifying and a level of service provided by the target service provider to the DVM is according to the trust level of the DVM.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the verifying of the host device comprises upon accessing a server of the target service provider through the launched DVM, transmitting to the target service provider server a certifiable report of a measurement of the DVMI, the launched DVM, the host device, and the portable computer device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the verifying of the host device comprises:

verifying by the host verifier the host device based upon the host measurement.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising discarding all changes to the launched DVM and shutting down the launched DVM after the discarding.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating of the DVMI comprises performing any combinations of:

limiting functionality of the operating system (OS) of the DVMI to an accessory, a peripheral, or an add-in for a Web browser, or any combinations thereof, as required for the target service provider,

limiting access to certificate stores of the OS, the application and/or the Web browser,

restricting a number of IP addresses or DNS names the DVM accesses to the service provider,

applying a high protection-level setting for the OS, the application, and/or the Web browser, or

limiting OS and/or application modification and/or navigation authority of a user.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the storing of the DVMI in the portable computing device comprises encrypting the DVMI with a key, and

the launching of the DVMI in the host device comprises retrieving the key for decrypting the DVMI, from the portable computing device and/or from another server.

7. The method according claim 6, wherein the key is sealed in the portable computing device by a Trusted Platform Module.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein measuring of the launched DVM is a white list based measurement and/or Hash based measurement.

9. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the storing of the DVMI in the portable computing device comprises securing the DVMI;

wherein the verifying of the host device comprises;

verifying by the host verifier the host device based upon the host measurement, and

unlocking the secured DVMI according to a successful result of the verifying of the host device; and

wherein accessing the target service provider server comprises any combination of transmitting a certifiable report or the token.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the DVMI is secured by encrypting the DVMI with a key and/or by a Trusted Platform Module.

11. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the storing of the DVMI in the portable computing device comprises securing the DVMI with a Trusted Platform Module;

wherein the verifying of the host device comprises;

transmitting by the target service provider server a key to the portable computing device, according to a successful result of the verifying of the host device, and

unlocking by the portable computing device the secured DVMI using the key and launching the DVMI in the host device; and

wherein accessing the target service provider server comprises any combination of transmitting a certifiable report or the token.

12. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the measurement of the DVMI comprises:

designating the launched DVMI as read-only and

before launching the DVMI, calculating a hash value of the DVMI, and

verifying integrity of the DVMI by comparing the calculated DVMI hash value with a another hash value for the DVMI; and

wherein the measurement of the launched DVM comprises;

selecting one or more files of the launched DVM,

calculating a hash value of the selected files of the launched DVM, and

verifying integrity of the launched DVM by comparing the calculated selected files hash value with another hash value for the selected files.

13. A trusted computing transaction method, comprising:

generating a dedicated virtual machine image (DVMI) including an application for a target service provider and only operating system (OS) functionality for the application of the target service provider, and reducing OS file system usage of the application for the target service provider by using a memory image and/or a file system image of files to transact with the target service provider;

launching by a portable computing device the DVMI in a host device as a Trusted Dedicated Virtual Machine (TDVM) by;

requesting by the host device a token from a target service provider server including transmitting a measurement of both the DVMI and the portable computing device, to the target service provider server;

determining by the target service provider whether to issue a token based on the measurement information sent from the host device;

upon receipt of the token by the host device, launching the DVMI as the TDVM, and

determining by the target service provider a trust level for the TDVM, based upon the measurement information sent from the host device; and

providing a level of service by the target service provider server to the TDVM, according to the trust level of the TDVM.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the TDVM is a trusted authenticator verifying a user identity according to information and/or biometric technologies.

15. A computer system for accessing a server of a target service provider, comprising:

a host device; and

a portable computing device capable of communication with the host device, the portable computing device storing a dedicated virtual machine image (DVMI) including an application for the target service provider and only operating system (OS) functionality for the application of the target service provider, and memory image and/or a file system image of files to transact with the target service provider to reduce OS file system usage of the application for the target service provider,

wherein the host device and/or the portable computing device comprise a computer processor executing;

verifying the host device, the verifying including a measurement of the DVMI, and

controlling launching of the DVMI by the host device as a Trusted Dedicated Virtual Machine (TDVM) by;

requesting by the host device a token from the target service provider server including transmitting a measurement of both the host device, including the DVMI, and a measurement of the portable computing device, to the target service provider server;

determining by the target service provider whether to issue a token based on the measurement information sent from the host device;

upon receipt of the token by the host device, launching the DVMI as the TDVM,

a determination by the target service provider of a trust level for the TDVM is based upon the measurement information sent from the host device and a level of service provided by the target service provider to the TDVM is according to the trust level of the TDVM.

16. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein the portable computing device verifies the host device by:

executing a host verifier on the portable computing device,

retrieving by the host verifier a host measurement from the host device, and

verifying by the host verifier the host device based upon the host measurement.

17. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein the portable computing device stores the DVMI by performing any combinations of:

limiting functionality of the operating system (OS) of the DVMI to an accessory, a peripheral, or an add-in for a Web browser, or any combinations thereof, as required for the target service provider,

limiting access to certificate stores of the OS, the application and/or the Web browser,

restricting a number of IP addresses or DNS names the DVM accesses to the service provider,

applying a high protection-level setting for the OS, the application, and/or the Web browser, or

limiting OS and/or application modification and/or navigation authority of a user.

18. The computer system according to claim 15,

wherein the portable computing device comprises security securing the DVMI;

wherein the portable computing device verifies the host device by;

executing a host verifier on the portable computing device,

retrieving by the host verifier a host measurement from the host device,

verifying by the host verifier the host device based upon the host measurement, and

unlocking the secured DVMI according to a successful result of the verifying of the host device and launching the DVMI in the host device.