Discovery of secure network enclaves

摘要

A hierarchical key generation and distribution mechanism for a computer system in which devices are organized into secure enclaves. The mechanism enables network access to be tailored to approximate minimum needed privileges for each device. At the lowest level of the hierarchy, keys are used to form security associations between devices. Keys at each level of the hierarchy are generated from keys at a higher level of the hierarchy and key derivation information. Key derivation information is readily ascertainable, either from identifiers for devices or from within messages, supporting hardware offload of cryptographic functions. Because keys may be generated based on the enclaves in which the hosts participating in a security association are located, the system includes a mechanism by which devices can discover the enclave in which they are located.

主权项

1. A device for providing secure communications, comprising: a memory and a processor that are respectively configured to store and execute instructions, including instructions that enable the device to:
receive a control packet during an exchange, between the device and a second device, to establish a security association with the second device; identify a chain of two or more markers in the control packet, each marker of the chain of two or more markers indicating an enclave, and at least one marker of the chain of two or more markers including a value associated with an intermediary device that processed the control packet; determine an identity of an enclave in which the second device is located based at least on the chain of two or more markers; determine an identity of another enclave; and employ the determined identity of the enclave to establish the security association with the second device, including:
selecting a key based at least on the determined identity of the enclave and the determined identity of the other enclave.