Minimizing Event-Handling Latencies in Secure Virtual Machines Janis Danisevskis, Michael Peter, Jan Nordholz Technische Universitat¨ Berlin Deutsche Telekom Laboratories Security in Telecommunications fjanis, peter, [email protected] Abstract—Virtualization, after having found devices more and more resemble desktop systems in widespread adoption in the server and desktop term of hardware (compute power, memory sizes) arena, is poised to change the architecture of embedded and software (general purpose operating systems, open systems as well. The benefits afforded by virtualization system architecture). Assuming that this follow-suit — enhanced isolation, manageability, flexibility, and trend is to continue, it should not be too long before security — could be instrumental for developers of embedded systems as an answer to the rampant increase virtualization gains traction in embedded devices. Be- in complexity. fore dwelling on real-time characteristics, we would While mature desktop and server solutions exist, they like to briefly recite the arguments for virtualization in cannot be easily reused on embedded systems because embedded devices. of markedly different requirements. Unfortunately, op- timizations aimed at throughput, important for servers, A. The Case for Virtualization in Embedded Systems often compromise on aspects like predictable real-time Development support. Tight time-to-market times behavior, which are crucial to many embedded systems. can only be achieved though pervasive software reuse. In a similar vein, the requirements for small trusted Despite all efforts, dependencies between software computing bases, lightweight inter-VM communication, and small footprints are often not accommodated. This components are often intricate, requiring substantial observation suggests that virtual machines for embed- development effort when changes are needed. More- ded systems should be constructed from scratch with over, quite a few applications hinge on particular particular attention paid to the specific requirements. operating systems, or even specific versions of them. In this paper, we set out with a virtual machine Virtualization obviates the need to settle for one op- designed for security-conscious workloads and describe erating system, but instead allows to run multiple of the steps necessary to achieve good event-handling them in parallel. The easy reuse of tried-and-tested latencies. That evolution is possible because the un- components will cut down on the development effort derlying microkernel is well suited to satisfy real-time thereby reducing costs and shortening the time-to- requirements. As the guest system we chose Linux with the PREEMPT_RT configuration, which itself was market. Platform migration. In the past, more powerful arXiv:1806.01147v1 [cs.OS] 4 Jun 2018 developed in an effort to bring down event-handling latencies in a general purpose system. Our results devices automatically translated into better function- indicate that the increase of event-handling latencies of ality. The recent tendency to multicore processors a guest running in a virtual machine does not, compared makes that benefit increasingly harder to reap as only to native execution, exceed a factor of two. multithreaded software benefits from the presence of Keywords-Virtualization; Operating System; Real-time additional cores. Virtualization opens up the opportu- Computing; Security nity to eschew the daunting task of porting single-core software stacks, instead reusing it outright. Generally, I. INTRODUCTION the introduction of virtualization into the system stack Historically, innovations first took place in the desk- requires only the hypervisor to be ported to new top and server market before they trickled down to devices; the higher layers need only small adoptions embedded systems some years later. Although the gap or none at all. in capabilities is likely to persist, high-end embedded Security. Traditionally, security from non-physical attacks was not a major concern for embedded systems. versely, as long as component interaction is limited Even if a device contained defects, these were difficult to well-defined interfaces (including temporal aspects), to exploit as the usual attack vector — network it is sufficient to check whether a component adheres connectivity — was unheard-of. That has changed to the interface specification. Changes of a component profoundly in the recent past. High-end embedded then would not require a system validation. systems more and more resemble desktop systems Remote Management. The growing device complex- regarding computing capabilities, usage scenarios, and ity makes it ever more likely that some unexpected connectivity. The applications they accommodate share situation arises after the device is shipped. Therefor many traits with those found on desktops, security it would be desirable to remotely assess the situation vulnerabilities included. Security-wise, the calm past and take remedial measures. It the best case, the issue has given way to a frantic struggle between attackers is fixed by a remotely initiated update before the user raking about for exploitable deficiencies and defenders even notices that something was about to break. For hurrying for closing them promptly. While security all its virtues, remote management cuts both ways. If threats against desktops are severe, they hold the po- not properly secured, a remote management interface tential to be devastating for embedded systems. Unlike is a downright invitation for attackers to take over the stationary cousins, embedded systems often are the device. As such, it must be ensured that only restricted in their means to repulse malware. Installing properly authorized requests are honored. There should an new version of an anti-virus solution is just not on be a secure anchor in the platform, which cannot be the table. Given the gravity of the situation and the even disabled if an attacker has already succeeded in inevitability of its occurence, it is urgent to tighten penetrating some parts of the system. the defences. Virtualization may provide the isolation needed to contain an attacker, thus offering deeper B. Challenges for Embedded Virtualization defense. The feasibility of this approach has been Embedded devices differ from their desktop and borne out by contemporary gaming consoles, where server cousins in that they are often charged with hypervisor-based security architectures have proven tasks that require interacting with their environment sufficiently capable of denying ultimate control to in real-time. The transition from special-purpose real- flocks of highly motivated attackers. time operating systems to general purpose operating Consolidation. Today it is not uncommon to phys- systems like Linux poses enough problems in itself ically separate subsystems to ensure non-interference. in that respect. Virtualization requires modifications The downside is that the number of control units grows deep in the software stack. In order to hurt real- which raises concerns as to the bill of material, weight time performance not too much the following three of wiring, and reliability in the face of numerous problems have to be taken into account. physical connections, which are vulnerable to aging. First, virtualization support in current processors License separation. Platform vendors are often con- comes in the shape of additional processor privilege cerned about their system architecture not to be re- levels1. Not only have incoming event now to traverse vealed to competitors. For that reason, they do not like more modes (CPUs deliver events normally to the most the publication of, say, device drivers as these may privileged mode), the state transitions also take longer give hints at the underlying hardware. This attitude is due to the huger state involved. With current hardware, at odds with some important open source operating these additional expensive transitions in timing-critical systems, which require source code access for device paths are inevitable and will lead to increases in event- drivers. The tension can be eased if software with handling latencies. intellectual property rights restrictions is placed in a Second, the relative cost of individual operation VM where it is not subject to licenses requiring source changes, which requires a redesign of timing critical access. paths. For example, on a non-virtualized platform Partial Validation. If the interaction between compo- 1 nents cannot be characterized precisely, then a tightly The details differ though. Some instruction set architectures added to their existing privileges less privileged modes (x86 guest integrated system has to be revalidated as a whole mode (AMD) and non-root mode (Intel)) while other went for more whenever any single component is changed. Con- privileged modes (PPC hypervisor mode). 03 Feburary 2012 arming a timer takes a trap into the operating system 2) Given the scarcity of native applications for kernel and a device access. In a virtual machine, a guest security-conscious environments, the reuse of is not allowed to access the physical timer directly legacy software shall be easily possible. As virtu- because of contention from other guests. Attempts to alization is by definition compatible with a huge access the device trap into the hypervisor, which takes body of software and exhibits good performance care of multiplexing the physical timer. Unfortunately, characteristics, the system shall support multiple this costly operation