Collaborative Research: SecureCore for Trustworthy Commodity Computing and Communications

SecureCore项目将研究和设计一个安全的集成核心架构，用于移动计算设备的可靠操作，包括：一个安全感知的通用处理器，一个小型安全内核和一组基本的安全通信协议。该研究将使用“干净的石板”方法来定义这种安全核心所需的基本架构特征的最小集合，用于资源受限的、无处不在的计算平台，例如安全嵌入式系统（例如，心脏监视器中的计算机）、口袋设备（例如，非接触式智能卡）和移动计算设备（例如，手持网络计算机）。这种方法表明，在一开始就设计安全性，而不是在事后添加安全性，可以实现什么。它也改变了设计范式，从强调性能到一个值得信赖的，可靠的操作。目标是在不影响性能、大小、成本、能耗或可用性的情况下实现所需的安全级别。威胁模型将在不断联网的商品设备和互联网规模的流行病（如DDoS、蠕虫和病毒）的新背景下重新检查。更广泛的影响是为普适计算环境中的可信计算、通信和存储提供科学基础。如果SecureCore的架构影响到未来可信赖商品的设计，以及计算机硬件和软件工程教育的课程，那么它的影响将是巨大的。

The SecureCore project will investigate and design a secure integrated core architecture for trustworthy operation of mobile computing devices consisting of: a security-aware general-purpose processor, a small security kernel and a small set of essential secure communications protocols. The research will use a "clean slate" approach to define a minimal set of fundamental architectural features required for such a secure core, for use in resource-constrained, ubiquitous computing platforms exemplified by secure embedded systems (e.g., computer in a heart monitor), pocket devices (e.g., contact-less smart card), and mobile computing devices (e.g., handheld web-enabled computer). This approach shows what is possible when security is designed in at the beginning rather than added as an after-thought. It also changes the design paradigm from an emphasis on performance to one on trustworthy, dependable operation. The goal is to achieve the desired security levels without compromising performance, size, cost, energy consumption, or usability. Threat models will be re-examined in the new context of continuously networked commodity devices and Internet-scale epidemics such as DDoS, worms and viruses. The broader impact is to provide the scientific basis for trustworthy computing, communications and storage in pervasive computing environments. SecureCore impact will be immense if its architecture influences the design of future trustworthy commodity products, as well as the curriculum for computer hardware and software engineering education.