Embedded Systems Design Europe - October 2007 - (Page 26)

Linux ability to dedicate a hardware resource for each high-level task, making it easier to manage and implement software design as the hardware is compartmentalized. This approach has resulted in recent growth in implementing virtualization technologies in the embedded space. Various types of virtualization techniques exist (hardware- and software-based) that all provide multiple “guest domains,” each assuming total access to the underlying hardware and conceptually having no awareness of the other guest domains. A fundamental element of any virtualization implementation is a layer called Hypervisor, which mediates the interactions among guest domains, providing access to underlying hardware resources to the guest domains, and providing necessary lifecycle management to each guest domain. As is in most cases, this technique has existed in large-scale enterprise systems prior to the embedded space. As usual, the implications of this technology in resource-constrained embedded devices are different than those of the enterprise systems. The use cases, however, remain similar. Therefore, any modern design that attempts to provide a security solution for embedded applications must assume it might be contained in a virtualized guest domain. TrustZone is a security technology introduced by ARM in its 1176 core. The technology provides a hardwarebased isolation for execution environments and divides the isolation into two halves – secure and normal. The security-sensitive applications are executed in a separate memory space that isn’t accessible to “normal” applications. Although this could potentially provide the operating environment with an enhanced level of security, at its core this could be considered a hardware-based virtualization solution, which is conceptually not a new idea. Furthermore, and considering compartmentalized security and separation of execution environments due to applications’ security requirements, “separation of concerns” have all been 26 well understood and known concepts in computer science and software engineering for decades. This approach considers the availability of ARM TrustZone technology on the underlying hardware architecture. However no parts of this approach “rely” on this capability. The proposed architecture shown in Figure 4 addresses the security requirements discussed here. Let’s now discuss each domain’s Virtual Machine (VM), which in turn OCTOBER 2007 | embedded systems design europe | www.embedded.com/europe 022-023-024-025-026-027_ESDE.ind26 26 9/10/07 16:56:06 http://www.embedded.com/europe

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Embedded Systems Design Europe - October 2007 Contents Linux Set to Dominate Torvalds Updates Linux Kernel ARM Establishes Smart Card Foundry Program Emerson Buys Motorola's Embedded Comms Group LynuxWroks and TTTech to Cooperate on Avionics MontaVista CEO Looks for Acquisitions in Europe Ready: Multiprocessing Technology Provides Opportunity Automotive to Drive MCU Market New Supporters Join COM Express Group Analyst Weighs TI Versus Xilinx Versus PicoChip Cover Feature: Embedded Systems Security Has Moved to the Forefront Trace Exposes the Toughest Real-Time Bugs Employ a Secure Flavor of Linux Use an MCU's Low-Power Modes in Foreground/Background Systems Transporting Video Over Wireless Networks New Products Advertising Contacts

Embedded Systems Design Europe - October 2007

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