Trusted binary translation

• US 9,798,559 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2014
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Musarubra US LLC (Musarubra US SellCo LLC)
• Original Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Shah, Samir, Smith, Ned M., Martin, Jason, Sheller, Micah J., Chakrabarti, Somnath, Xing, Bin
• Primary Examiner(s): Bodden, Evral E
• Application Number:
  US14/583,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20160188350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,032 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4552 Involving translation to a different instruction set architecture, e.g. just-in-time translation in a JVM
• CPC Class Codes: G09C 1/00 Apparatus or methods whereby a given sequence of signs, e.g. an intelligible text, is transformed into an unintelligible sequence of signs by transposing the signs or groups of signs or by replacing them by others according to a predetermined system cryptographic typewriters G09C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/127 Trusted platform modules [TPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

In an example, a computing device may include a trusted execution environment (TEE) for executing signed and verified code. The device may receive a trusted binary object in a first form, but the object may need to be converted to a second format, either on-the-fly, or in advance. This may include, for example, a bytecode interpreter, script interpreter, runtime engine, compiler, just-in-time compiler, or other species of binary translator. The binary translator may be run from the TEE, and the output may then be signed by the TEE and treated as a new trusted binary.

Claims

1. A computing apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory; and

a trusted execution environment (TEE), comprising a memory enclave and processor instructions for accessing the memory enclave; and

one or more logic elements, including at least one hardware logic element, comprising a binary translation engine for operating within the TEE, and including a trusted compiler, runtime, or interpreter operable for;

receiving a trusted first signed object in a first format, the first signed object signed by a certificate;

translating the first signed object into a trusted second object in a second format;

consulting a certificate expiration or revocation list to determine that the certificate is not expired; and

after determining that the certificate is not expired, signing the second object.

2. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first format is a non-native binary format.

3. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second format is a native binary format.

4. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the TEE comprises a memory enclave.

5. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the TEE comprises a processor operable to provide special TEE instructions.

6. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signed object is to be signed by a key, and wherein signing the second object comprises signing the second object with the key.

7. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signed object is to be signed with a first key, and wherein signing the second object comprises signing the second object with a second key signed by a common issuer of the first key.

8. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signed object is to be signed with a first key, and wherein signing the second object comprises signing the second object with a second key provided by a vendor of the first signed object.

9. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the binary translation engine is further operable for receiving a code validation object signed by a code validation object key, and verifying the code validation object key.

10. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein verifying the code validation object key comprises receiving a public verification key.

11. One or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable mediums having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, are operable to provide a binary translation engine including a trusted compiler, runtime, or interpreter operable for:

establishing a trusted execution environment (TEE) within a memory enclave;

receiving into the enclave a first signed object in a first format, the first signed object signed by a certificate;

translating the first signed object into a trusted second object in a second format within the enclave;

consulting a certificate expiration or revocation list to determine that the certificate is not expired; and

after determining that the certificate is not expired, signing the second object within the enclave.

12. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable mediums of claim 11, wherein the first format is a non-native binary format.

13. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable mediums of claim 11, wherein the second format is a native binary format.

14. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable mediums of claim 11, wherein the binary translation engine comprises a binary translator selected from a group consisting of a runtime engine, an interpreter, a just-in-time compiler, ahead-of-time compiler, a virtual machine, a compiler, a linker, and a toolchain utility.

15. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable mediums of claim 11, wherein the first signed object is to be signed by a key, and wherein signing the second object comprises signing the second object with the key.

16. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable mediums of claim 11, wherein the first signed object is to be signed with a first key, and wherein signing the second object comprises signing the second object with a second key signed by a common issuer of the first key.

17. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable mediums of claim 11, wherein first signed object is to be signed with a first key, and wherein signing the second object comprises signing the second object with a second key provided by a vendor of the first object.

18. The one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable mediums of claim 11, wherein the binary translation engine is further operable for receiving a code validation object signed by a code validation object key, and verifying the code validation object key.

19. A method of providing a binary translation engine including a trusted compiler, runtime, or interpreter, comprising:

establishing a memory enclave within a computer memory;

receiving into the memory enclave a trusted first signed object in a first format, the first signed object signed by a certificate;

translating, within the enclave, the first signed object into a trusted second object in a second format;

consulting a certificate expiration or revocation list to determine that the certificate is not expired; and

after determining that the certificate is not expired, signing, within the enclave, the second object.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein translating comprises:

performing runtime engine operations, interpreting, just-in-time compiling, ahead-of-time compiling, providing virtual machine services, compiling, linking, or providing toolchain utility services.