Abstract: A computer implemented method includes receiving first firmware information at a hosting environment identifying that a user has selected user-controlled firmware for user virtual machines to be hosted on the hosting environment. A copy of the user-controlled firmware is obtained and a user virtual machine is deployed that includes the user-controlled firmware. The user-controlled firmware is locked against changes by the hosting environment absent receiving permission from the user.

Abstract: Operating upon encrypted data with a particular data scope. A base encryption key is established and associated with the particular data scope, and then stored in a base encryption key store. That base encryption key store might be managed by an application or service that stores base encryption keys for multiple data scopes. A proxy encryption key acts as a kind of proxy for the base encryption key. The proxy encryption key may be used for frequent operations on encrypted data within the particular data scope. Thus, the principles described herein act as a frequency amplifier that allows key-based operations upon the particular data scope to be performed at much higher frequencies than otherwise would be possible by operating directly using the base encryption key.

Abstract: Operating upon encrypted data with a particular data scope. A base encryption key is established and associated with the particular data scope, and then stored in a base encryption key store. That base encryption key store might be managed by an application or service that stores base encryption keys for multiple data scopes. A proxy encryption key acts as a kind of proxy for the base encryption key. The proxy encryption key may be used for frequent operations on encrypted data within the particular data scope.

Abstract: Instantiating an attestation facilitation component that allows a remote application to attest to a secure state of a secure memory application executing upon a secure platform of a computer system regardless of a type of either the secure platform or a health attestation service. Instantiation comprises identifying a property that includes at least one of the secure platform type and the health attestation service type. The instantiation is customized with the identified property. The attestation facilitation component verifies that a report generated by the secure platform represents that the secure memory application is operating in a secure state, and accesses a token generated by the health attestation service that represents that the secure platform is operating in a secure state. The attestation facilitation component generates a quote that allows the remote application to verify that the secure platform and the secure memory application are both operating in secure states.

Abstract: Operating upon encrypted data with a particular data scope. A base encryption key is established and associated with the particular data scope, and then stored in a base encryption key store. That base encryption key store might be managed by an application or service that stores base encryption keys for multiple data scopes. A proxy encryption key acts as a kind of proxy for the base encryption key. The proxy encryption key may be used for frequent operations on encrypted data within the particular data scope. Thus, the principles described herein act as a frequency amplifier that allows key-based operations upon the particular data scope to be performed at much higher frequencies than otherwise would be possible by operating directly using the base encryption key.

Abstract: Instantiating an attestation facilitation component that allows a remote application to attest to a secure state of a secure memory application executing upon a secure platform of a computer system regardless of a type of either the secure platform or a health attestation service. Instantiation comprises identifying a property that includes at least one of the secure platform type and the health attestation service type. The instantiation is customized with the identified property. The attestation facilitation component verifies that a report generated by the secure platform represents that the secure memory application is operating in a secure state, and accesses a token generated by the health attestation service that represents that the secure platform is operating in a secure state. The attestation facilitation component generates a quote that allows the remote application to verify that the secure platform and the secure memory application are both operating in secure states.

Abstract: Described herein are technologies pertaining to executing a third-party application under the umbrella of a general purpose search engine. A software development kit is provided to a developer, and the developer uses the software development kit to develop an application that executes in a browser in a graphical user interface corresponding to a search engine. An end user provides a query to the search engine, and based at least in part upon the query the application generated by the third party developer is presented to the user. The application presented to the user potentially assists the user in search visualization and task completion.