Security of embedded devices

Security certification after Common Criteria is mainly known in the IT field but calls more and more attention in the embedded market, too. For embedded devices running in a network or sending and receiving data from elsewhere, data integrity and consistence is a must. Above that, they must be protected against adversarial attacks. To confirm security, security-critical devices have to undergo certification according to Common Criteria (CC). The underlying operating system can help to ease the certification process and to reduce the cost of certification.

Certification according to Common Criteria (CC)

Security certification has to be conducted according to the Common Criteria (CC) Standard, a joint international effort for security to ensure that evaluations of “Information Technology (IT) products and protection profiles are performed to high and consistent standards and are seen to contribute significantly to confidence in the security of those products and profiles” (The Common Criteria Recognition Agreement). Common Criteria distinguishes seven Evaluation Assurance Levels (EAL), where EAL 1 is the lowest and EAL 7 the highest level of security.

PikeOS Multiple Independent Levels of Security (MILS)

PikeOS Multiple Independent Levels of Security (MILS) architecture
PikeOS MILS compliant architecture: Separation kernel with security feature enhanced system software and MILS components.

PikeOS embedded virtualization is built on a small micro-kernel with less than 10.000 LOC which can be certified according to Common Criteria in a cost-efficient way. Additionally, PikeOS contributes to security by providing a Multiple Independent Levels of Security (MILS) architecture. MILS is a concept requiring separation, partitioning and controlled communication flow. The PikeOS embedded virtualization architecture is based on a separation micro-kernel, and security feature enhanced system software equipped with Secure Application Loader, Signature Engine, Encryption Engine, Policy Database, Reference Monitor, and Secure Audit Log. On top, the PikeOS system software allows to define separate partitions with subsets of system resources for MILS components and multiple applications (even from different levels of criticality). Communication between partitions is controlled by the micro-kernel.

SYSGO Research Projects on Security

SYSGO is partner in important research projects on security:

  • TECOM (FP-7 EU-Project): TECOM stands for Trusted Embedded Computing and is a research project for embedded systems corresponding to Trusted Computing in the IT world. In connection with TECOM, SYSGO has developed a Protection Profile (PP) to be used to evaluate PikeOS according to Common Criteria (CC).

  • Verisoft XT (BMFT-Project): The purpose of the Verisoft project is to formally verify PikeOS according to Common Criteria up to level 7

Print this page
Newsletter  |  Contact  |  Imprint  |  General Terms and Conditions