Binary translation of a trusted binary with input tagging

• US 9,996,690 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2014
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Musarubra US LLC (Musarubra US SellCo LLC)
• Original Assignee: McAfee, LLC
• Inventors: Smith, Ned M., Rubakha, Dmitri, Shah, Samir, Martin, Jason, Sheller, Micah J., Chakrabarti, Somnath, Xing, Bin
• Primary Examiner(s): Homayounmehr, Farid
• Assistant Examiner(s): SARKER, SANCHIT K
• Application Number:
  US14/583,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20160188873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,263 Days
• Field of Search: 726 22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/033 Test or assess software
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

In an example, a computing device includes a trusted execution environment (TEE), including an enclave. The enclave may include both a binary translation engine (BTE) and an input verification engine (IVE). In one embodiment, the IVE receives a trusted binary as an input, and analyzes the trusted binary to identify functions, classes, and variables that perform input/output operations. To ensure the security of these interfaces, those operations may be performed within the enclave. The IVE tags the trusted binary and provides the binary to the BTE. The BTE then translates the trusted binary into a second format, including designating the tagged portion for execution within the enclave. The BTE may also sign the new binary in the second format and export it out of the enclave.

Claims

1. A computing apparatus comprising:

a trusted execution environment (TEE);

one or more logic elements comprising an input verification engine (IVE) within the TEE, the IVE operable for;

receiving a trusted first binary object in a first format, the first binary object being a signed binary object;

analyzing the trusted first binary object to identify portions that perform input/output operations comprising signed and validated input from a peripheral;

tagging the portions to create a tagged trusted binary object with tagged portions; and

providing the portions to a binary translation engine (BTE);

one or more logic elements comprising the (BTE) within the TEE, the BTE operable for;

receiving the tagged trusted binary object in the first format, the first format not suitable for use on the computing apparatus;

translating the tagged trusted binary object into a second binary object in a second format suitable for use on the computing apparatus, wherein translating comprises reserving the tagged portions for execution within an enclave;

signing the second binary object in the second format; and

consulting a certificate expiration or revocation list before signing the second binary object.

2. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the IVE is further operable for:

provisioning an enclave within the TEE; and

performing at least some of the IVE'"'"'s functions within the enclave.

3. The computing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the IVE is further operable for provisioning the BTE within the enclave.

4. The computing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the BTE comprises a binary translator selected from the 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.

5. The computing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the BTE comprises a Java Virtual Machine, and wherein the IVE is at least partly implemented in Java and configured to operate within the BTE.

6. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the IVE is further operable for performing input verification.

7. The computing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the IVE comprises a module selected from the group consisting of a secure network stack, a secure graphics engine, a secure human input device interface engine, a secure audio engine, a secure image processing engine, a secure telemetry engine, a secure global positioning system receiver, and a binary input analyzer.

8. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the BTE is further operable for signing the trusted first binary object.

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

10. The computing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the trusted first binary object is to be signed with a first key, and wherein signing the second binary object comprises signing the second binary object with a second key signed by a common issuer of the first key.

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

12. The computing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the trusted first binary object is to be signed with a first key, and wherein signing the second binary object comprises signing the second binary object with a second key having a common provenance with the first key.

13. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable mediums having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, instruct a processor for:

providing an input verification engine (IVE) within a TEE, the IVE operable for;

receiving a trusted first binary object in a first format, the first binary object being a signed binary object;

analyzing the trusted first binary object to identify portions that perform input/output operations comprising signed and validated input from a peripheral;

tagging the portions to create a tagged trusted binary object with tagged portions; and

providing the portions to a binary translation engine (BTE);

providing the (BTE) within the TEE, the BTE operable for;

receiving the tagged trusted binary object in the first format, the first format not suitable for use on a target platform of the trusted binary;

translating the tagged trusted binary object into a second binary object in a second format suitable for use on the target platform, wherein translating comprises reserving the tagged portions for execution within an enclave;

signing the second binary object in the second format; and

consulting a certificate expiration or revocation list before signing the second binary object.

14. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable mediums of claim 13, wherein the IVE is further operable for:

provisioning an enclave within the TEE; and

performing at least some of the IVE'"'"'s functions within the enclave.

15. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable mediums of claim 14, wherein the IVE is further operable for provisioning the BTE within the enclave.

16. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable mediums of claim 15, wherein the BTE comprises a Java Virtual Machine, and wherein the IVE is at least partly implemented in Java and configured to operate within the BTE.

17. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable mediums of claim 13, wherein the IVE is further operable for performing input verification.

18. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable mediums of claim 13, wherein the BTE is further operable for signing the second binary object.

19. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable mediums of claim 18, wherein the trusted first binary object is to be signed by a key, and wherein signing the second binary object comprises signing the second binary object with the key.

20. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable mediums of claim 18, wherein the trusted first binary object is to be signed with a first key, and wherein signing the second binary object comprises signing the second binary object with a second key signed by a common issuer of the first key.

21. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable mediums of claim 18, wherein the trusted first binary object is to be signed with a first key, and wherein signing the second binary object comprises signing the second binary object with a second key provided by a vendor of the trusted binary object.

22. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable mediums of claim 18, wherein the trusted first binary object is to be signed with a first key, and wherein signing the second binary object comprises signing the second binary object with a second key having a common provenance with the first key.

23. A computer-implemented method for execution within a trusted execution environment (TEE), comprising:

receiving a trusted first binary object in a first format, the first binary object being a signed binary object;

analyzing the trusted first binary object to identify portions that perform input/output operations comprising signed and validated input from a peripheral;

tagging the portions to create a tagged trusted binary object with tagged portions;

translating the tagged trusted binary object into a second binary object in a second format suitable for use on the target platform, wherein translating comprises reserving the tagged portions for execution within an enclave;

signing the second binary object in the second format; and

consulting a certificate expiration or revocation list before signing the second binary object.