
Providing User Security Guarantees in Public Infrastructure Clouds
Abstract
In this Providing User Security Guarantees in Public Infrastructure Clouds paper, we describe a data and operation security framework in IaaS consisting of protocols for trusted virtual machine launch and domain-based storage protection. In the defined threat model, we continue with extensive theoretical analysis with proofs of protocol resistance to attacks. The protocols allow confidence to be established by remotely certifying host platform configuration prior to launching guest virtual machines and ensuring data confidentiality in remote storage, with encryption keys kept outside the IaaS domain.
System Configuration
Conclusion
From a tenant’s point of view, the cloud security model does not yet stand against threat models developed for the traditional model where the hosts are operated and used by the same organization. However, there is steady progress towards strengthening the security model of IaaS. We presented a framework for trusted cloud deployment of infrastructure in this work, with two focus points: VM deployment on trusted compute hosts and domain-based data protection. We described in detail protocol design, implementation and security evaluation for trusted VM launch and domain-based storage protection.