Patents by Inventor Ryan P. Puffer

Ryan P. Puffer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10423791
    Abstract: A device runs a hypervisor and a virtual machine. The virtual machine includes a virtual security module, which can be a virtual trusted platform module (TPM). The virtual security module for the virtual machine is encrypted, and in order for the hypervisor to run the virtual machine the virtual security module is decrypted using a security module key. If a host guardian service is accessible, then the hypervisor obtains the key to decrypt the virtual security module from the host guardian service. However, if the host guardian service is inaccessible, then the hypervisor uses a key securely stored in a key cache of the device to decrypt the virtual security module. In one or more embodiments, the hypervisor can obtain the key from the key cache only if a health certificate indicating that the host guardian service trusts the device has been previously obtained from the host guardian service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Dean Anthony Wells, Nir Ben-Zvi, Ryan P. Puffer
  • Publication number: 20180314827
    Abstract: A device runs a hypervisor and a virtual machine. The virtual machine includes a virtual security module, which can be a virtual trusted platform module (TPM). The virtual security module for the virtual machine is encrypted, and in order for the hypervisor to run the virtual machine the virtual security module is decrypted using a security module key. If a host guardian service is accessible, then the hypervisor obtains the key to decrypt the virtual security module from the host guardian service. However, if the host guardian service is inaccessible, then the hypervisor uses a key securely stored in a key cache of the device to decrypt the virtual security module. In one or more embodiments, the hypervisor can obtain the key from the key cache only if a health certificate indicating that the host guardian service trusts the device has been previously obtained from the host guardian service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Dean Anthony Wells, Nir Ben-Zvi, Ryan P. Puffer