Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, the ability for a user or process to set or modify affinities is restricted in order to method for control a multi-processor environment. This may be accomplished by using a reference monitor that controls a process' capability to retrieve and set its or another process' affinity. This aids in the prevention of security breaches.

Abstract: Methods and devices for increasing or hardening the security of data stored in a storage device, such as a hard disk drive, are described. A storage device provides for increased or hardened security of data stored in hidden and non-hidden partitions of a storage medium in the device. An algorithm may be utilized for deriving a key that is used to encrypt or decrypt text before it is read from or written to the hard disk. The algorithm accepts as input a specific media location factor, such as an end address or start address of the block where the text is being read from or written to, and a secret key of the storage component. The output of the algorithm is a final key that may be used in the encryption and decryption process. Thus, in this manner, the final key is dependent on the location of the block where the data is being written or read, thereby making it more difficult to tamper with the data, which may be stored in a hidden or non-hidden partition of a hard disk.

Abstract: Techniques for Inter-Process Communication (IPC) in a more secure manner are disclosed. A communication component operating outside of an operating system can obtain operating-system data pertaining to processes that also operate outside of the operating system. The operating-system data can be more reliable than information that may have been provided by the processes, thereby allowing more secure IPC and consequently a more secure computing environment and/or system. A communication component can also be operable to make control decisions regarding the IPC data (e.g., IPC messages) based on the information provided and/or originated by the operating system (or operating-system data) and/or effectively provide the operating-system data pertaining to a sender process to its intended recipient process. A recipient process can also be operable to obtain the operating-system data pertaining to a sender process.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the invention, web workers and local storages can be extended to a cloud-based environment. This allows web workers to be executed on any of a number of different cloud platforms located in a cloud, leveraging available resources to provide a quicker and more efficient processing environment for the various web workers. The present invention also provides these functionalities in a way that is transparent to not just the user, but also to the web page developer as well, eliminating the need for the web page developer to be aware of the cloud-based environment and design the web page for use therewith.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for securing micro-architectural instruction caches (I-caches). Securing an I-cache involves maintaining a different substantially random instruction mapping policy into an I-cache for each of multiple processes, and for each process, performing a substantially random mapping scheme for mapping a process instruction into the I-cache based on the substantially random instruction mapping policy for said process. Securing the I-cache may further involve dynamically partitioning the I-cache into multiple logical partitions, and sharing access to the I-cache by an I-cache mapping policy that provides access to each I-cache partition by only one logical processor.

Abstract: A Security Enhanced Linux (SELinux) system implementing extended policy models and method for their enforcement, is provided. Extended attributes are defined to specify extended policies. The SELinux policy model is extended to include the extended policies. The extended policies are enforced in addition to SELinux Type Enforcement. In one implementation, defining extended attributes involves defining TC-related attributes to specify TC-related policies. Further, extending the SELinux policy model includes extending the SELinux policy model to include the TC-related policies, in addition to SELinux Type Enforcement. Furthermore, enforcing the extended policies includes enforcing the TC-related policies in addition to SELinux Type Enforcement.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for securing micro-architectural instruction caches (I-caches). Securing an I-cache involves providing security critical instructions to indicate a security critical code section; and implementing an I-cache locking policy to prevent unauthorized eviction and replacement of security critical instructions in the I-cache. Securing the I-cache may further involve dynamically partitioning the I-cache into multiple logical partitions, and sharing access to the I-cache by an I-cache mapping policy that provides access to each I-cache partition by only one logical processor.

Abstract: In one embodiment, cryptographic transformation of a message is performed by first performing a table initiation phase. This may be accomplished by creating a permutation of an order of powers and then performing a table initiation phase using a part of a key and the permuted order of powers to populate a data structure.

Abstract: In one embodiment, cryptographic transformation of a message is performed by first performing a table initiation phase. Then an exponentiation phase is performed, wherein the exponentiation phase includes two or more parsing steps, wherein each of the parsing steps includes parsing a part of a cryptographic key into a window of size n, wherein n is a difficult to predict number.

Abstract: In one embodiment, cryptographic transformation of a message is performed by first performing a table initiation phase to populate a data structure. Then, a first random number multiplied by a public key is added to each value in the data structure, in modulo of a second random number multiplied by the public key. Then an exponentiation phase is performed, wherein each modular multiplication and square operation in the exponentiation phase is performed in modulo of the second random number multiplied by the public key, producing a result. Then the result of the exponentiation phase is reduced in modulo of the public key. The introduction of the random numbers aids in the prevention of potential security breaches from the deduction of operands in the table initiation phase by malicious individuals.

Abstract: Access permission can be assigned to a particular individually executable portion of computer executable code (“component-specific access permission”) and enforced in connection with accessing the services of a service provider by the individually executable portion (or component). It should be noted that least one of the individually executable portions can request the services when executed by a dynamically scalable computing resource provider. In addition, general and component-specific access permissions respectively associated with executable computer code as a whole or one of it specific portions (or components) can be cancelled or rendered inoperable in response to an explicit request for cancellation.

Abstract: Techniques for allocating individually executable portions of executable code for execution in an Elastic computing environment are disclosed. In an Elastic computing environment, scalable and dynamic external computing resources can be used in order to effectively extend the computing capabilities beyond that which can be provided by internal computing resources of a computing system or environment. Machine learning can be used to automatically determine whether to allocate each individual portion of executable code (e.g., a Weblet) for execution to either internal computing resources of a computing system (e.g., a computing device) or external resources of an dynamically scalable computing resource (e.g., a Cloud). By way of example, status and preference data can be used to train a supervised learning mechanism to allow a computing device to automatically allocate executable code to internal and external computing resources of an Elastic computing environment.

Abstract: Techniques for hashing and decompression of data are disclosed. Hashing and decompression of compressed data can be integrated in order to effectively hash and decompress the compressed data at the same time. The integrated hashing and decompression techniques of the invention are useful for any computing environment and/or system where compressed data is hashed and decompressed. The invention is especially useful for safe computing environment and/or system (e.g., a Trusted Computing (TC) computing environment) where hashing decompression of compressed data can be routinely performed. The Integrity of a computing environment and/or system can be protected by integrating the decompressing and hashing of the compressed data or effectively hashing and decompressing the compressed data at the same time. A combined hashing and decompression function can be provided based on conventional hashing and compression functions by integrating their similar components and in an efficient manner.

Abstract: Techniques for achieving Input/Output I/O coalition across multiple computing systems and/or environments (e.g., computing devices) are disclosed. I/O coalition can be achieved by allowing one or more internal I/O devices of a first computing device to be effectively shared with a second computing device while one or more I/O devices of the second computing device is effectively shared with the first computing device. An Input-Output Coalition Management (IOCM) system can be provided for each the computing devices to facilitate I/O coalition between them. An IOCM system can, for example, be provided as Virtual Input-Output Computing Environment (VIOCE). By way of example, one or more Virtual Machines (VMs) can be provided to effectively support one or more Virtual Device Drivers (VDDs). An IOCM system can also be provided as and/or by an Operating System (OS).

Abstract: Executable computer code sections can be stored in the same section of secondary memory (e.g., instruction cache) during execution time in order to reduce the observable changes to the state of the secondary memory, thereby enhancing the security of computing systems that use secondary memory in addition the primary (main) memory to support execution of computer code. In addition, size of code sections can also be effectively adjusted so that code sections that are mapped to the same section of the secondary memory appear to have the same size, thereby further reducing the observable changes to the state of the secondary memory. As a result, the security of computing system can be further enhanced. It should be noted that code sections can be effectively relocated to cause them to map to the same section of secondary memory. It will be appreciated that mapping code sections considered to be critical to security can be especially useful to improving security.

Abstract: Executable computer code sections can be effectively evicted from secondary memory (e.g., instruction cache) during execution time in order to reduce the observable changes to the state of the secondary memory, thereby enhancing the security of computing systems that use secondary memory in addition the primary (main) memory to support execution of computer code. In particular, codes sections considered to be critical to security can be identified and effectively mapped to the same section of an instruction cache (I-cache) as provided in more modern computing systems in order to improve the efficiency of execution, thereby allowing use of the I-cache in a more secure manner.

Abstract: Security can be enforced in a consistent manner with respect to various computing environments that may be operable in a computing system. Consistent security criteria can be generated, based on input security criterion, in a computer readable and storable form and stored in a computer readable storage medium, thereby allowing the consistent security criterion to be effectively provided to a computing system for enforcement of the input security criterion in a consistent manner with respect to, for example, (a) a first executable computer code effectively supported by an Operating System (OS), and (b) a second computer code effectively supported by the Virtual Computing Environment (VCE). A Trusted Component (TC) can effectively provide a consistent security criterion as a part and/or form that is suitable for a particular computing environment.

Abstract: Techniques for assessing the cost of allocation of execution and affecting the allocation of execution are disclosed. The cost of allocation of execution to or between a first computing device (e.g., a mobile device) and one or more computing resource providers (e.g., one or more Clouds) can be determined during runtime of the executable code. It will be appreciated that a computing system can operate independently of the first computing device and one or more computing resource providers and provide execution allocation cost assessment as a service to the first computing device and/or one or more computing resource providers. Execution allocation cost can be assessed (or determined) based on execution allocation data pertaining to the first computing device and/or one or more computing resource providers. By way of example, power consumption of a mobile device can be used as a factor in determining how to allocate individual components of an application program (e.g.

Abstract: Techniques for extending the capabilities of computing environments and/or systems are disclosed. A scalable and dynamic external computing resource can be used in order to effectively extend the internal computing capabilities of a computing environment or system. The scalable and dynamic external computing resource can provide computing resources that far exceed the internal computing resources, and provide the services as needed, and in a dynamic manner at execution time. As a result, a computing device may function with relatively limited and/or reduced computing resources (e.g., processing power, memory) but have the ability to effectively provide as much computing services as may be needed, and provide the services when needed, on demand, and dynamically during the execution time.

Abstract: An architectural model can use integrated and/or flat (or extended) approaches. An “integrated application and OS” component can effectively integrate at least one computer application program with one or more OS functions, in an integrated approach. The integrated application and OS component can be provided in or as an upper level system (or layer) in relation to a lower level system (or layer). The lower level system can include an OS operable to perform a reduced set of operating system functions not including one or more functions that can be performed by the integrated application and OS component of the upper layer. Furthermore, the OS may be specialized and/or optimized for the components of the upper level system including the integrated application and OS component. By way of example, the OS may be specialized and/or optimized for Web-based and/or Browser-based applications of the integrated application and OS component.