Securing Multiprocessor Multilevel Computers

WHEN MULTIPLE PROCESSORS ARE RUNNING POTENTIALLY HOSTILE CODE THERE IS A VERY REAL THREAT OF CONVERT CHANNELS. THIS THREAT HAS PREVENTED HIGHLY ASSURES SYSTEM FROM USING MULTIPLE PROCESSORS IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER. THE PROPOSAL WILL EXAMINE THE MULTIPROCESSOR ISSUE AND DEVELOP COUNTERMEASURES TO THE CONVERT CHANNELS. SECURE COMPUTING CORPORATION HAS EXPERIENCE WITH CONVERT CHANNEL DETECTION TECHNIQUES SUCH AS NONINTERFERENCE AND THE SHARED RESOURCE MATRIX METHODOLOGY. SECURE COMPUTING CORP. IS ALSO VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCK SYSTEM. THIS EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES THE CHANCES OF SECURE COMPUTING FINDING SOLUTIONS TO THE MULTIPROCESSOR CONVERT CHANNEL PROBLEM. THE LOCK TYPE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL TOOL WHICH MAY BE USED TO MAINTAIN SECURITY WITHOUT SACRIFICING PERFORMANCE. THE RESULT OF THIS STUDY WILL BE A HIGH LEVEL DESIGN WHICH CAN BE SIMULATED TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COUNTERMEASURES DEVELOPED. SIMULATION OF THE DESIGN IN PHASE II WILL ALSO ALLOW TUNING OF THE COUNTERMEASURES TO IDENTIFY TRADEOFFS BETWEEN SECURITY AND PERFORMANCE.