Demystifying Attestation in Intel Trust Domain Extensions via Formal Verification

Research output: Contribution to conferencesPaperContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

In August 2020, Intel asked the research community for feedback on the newly offered architecture extensions, called Intel Trust Domain Extensions (TDX), which give more control to Trust Domains (TDs) over processor resources. One of the key features of these extensions is the remote attestation mechanism, which provides a unified report verification mechanism for TDX and its predecessor Software Guard Extensions (SGX). Based on our experience and intuition, we respond to the request for feedback by formally specifying the attestation mechanism in the TDX using ProVerif's specification language. Although the TDX technology seems very promising, the process of formal specification reveals a number of subtle discrepancies in Intel's specifications that could potentially lead to design and implementation flaws. After resolving these discrepancies, we also present fully automated proofs that our specification of TD attestation preserves the confidentiality of the secret and authentication of the report by considering the state-of-the-art Dolev-Yao adversary in the symbolic model using ProVerif. We have submitted the draft to Intel, and Intel is in the process of making the changes.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages83067 - 83079
Number of pages13
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2021
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85111042230

Keywords

Research priority areas of TU Dresden

DFG Classification of Subject Areas according to Review Boards

Keywords

  • Analytical models, Computer bugs, Intel TDX, ProVerif, Runtime, Security, Software, Tools, Virtual machine monitors, formal specification, formal verification, remoteattestation, security of data, software architecture, specification languages, symbolic security analysis, trust domains, trusted computing, trusted execution environment, Analytical models, Computer bugs, Intel TDX remote attestation, Intel Trust Domain Extensions, ProVerif, ProVerif's specification language, Runtime, Security, Software, Software architecture, TD attestation, TDX technology, Tools, Virtual machine monitors, formal specification, formal verification, newly offered architecture extensions, predecessor Software Guard Extensions, processor resources, remote attestation mechanism, romal verification, security of data, specification languages, symbolic security analysis, trust domains, trusted computing, trusted execution environment, uniied report verification mechanism, Intel TDX, remote attestation, Formal verification