VMware, Inc.
METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY ESTABLISHING A SECURE COMPUTING INFRASTRUCTURE

Abstract:

A method and system are disclosed in which a secure computing infrastructure is established and maintained. The method requires that upon any attestation event, a component to be added or newly activated (i.e., used the first time) be checked for its trustworthiness, where the checking includes cryptographic proof of the trustworthiness of the component. If the component is not trustworthy, then security precautions are taken to protect the secure computing infrastructure. Those precautions include refusing to accept the component, quarantining the component, encrypting and decrypting all traffic to and from the component, or allowing the component to perform only non-secure operations.