Rustáceo on Nostr: Have you heard of Confidential Computing? It's a technology that uses Trusted ...
Have you heard of Confidential Computing? It's a technology that uses Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) to isolate code and data at the hardware level. But how does it work, technically?
Secure Enclave/VM Creation
When a piece of software starts up, it launches an enclave (in Intel SGX) or an encrypted VM (in AMD SEV) within the processor. This environment is assigned unique encryption keys by the hardware itself, making external access or inspection impossible without those keys.
Encrypted Memory
All memory used by the enclave or VM is encrypted both “at rest” (in RAM) and “in transit” (between CPU and RAM). This means that even if someone gains physical access to the server or hypervisor, they cannot decrypt the information without the correct key.
Complete Isolation
The processor enforces security policies directly, rejecting any unauthorized read or write attempts. This prevents even the operating system kernel or a malicious administrator from viewing or manipulating what happens inside the enclave.
Integrity Assurance
Before execution begins, the hardware checks the code’s “signature” or “measurement.” This process, known as Remote Attestation, allows users to confirm that the software running inside the TEE is exactly what it’s supposed to be.
With these mechanisms, Confidential Computing enables you to host and process data without revealing its contents—whether in a public cloud environment or on your own hardware—ensuring privacy even from the system’s operators.
Secure Enclave/VM Creation
When a piece of software starts up, it launches an enclave (in Intel SGX) or an encrypted VM (in AMD SEV) within the processor. This environment is assigned unique encryption keys by the hardware itself, making external access or inspection impossible without those keys.
Encrypted Memory
All memory used by the enclave or VM is encrypted both “at rest” (in RAM) and “in transit” (between CPU and RAM). This means that even if someone gains physical access to the server or hypervisor, they cannot decrypt the information without the correct key.
Complete Isolation
The processor enforces security policies directly, rejecting any unauthorized read or write attempts. This prevents even the operating system kernel or a malicious administrator from viewing or manipulating what happens inside the enclave.
Integrity Assurance
Before execution begins, the hardware checks the code’s “signature” or “measurement.” This process, known as Remote Attestation, allows users to confirm that the software running inside the TEE is exactly what it’s supposed to be.
With these mechanisms, Confidential Computing enables you to host and process data without revealing its contents—whether in a public cloud environment or on your own hardware—ensuring privacy even from the system’s operators.