Title
AWS re:Invent 2022 - Confidential computing with AWS compute (CMP302)
Summary
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Introduction to Confidential Computing: Confidential computing on AWS is defined as using specialized hardware and firmware to protect data during processing from unauthorized access. It extends security measures beyond data at rest and in transit to data in use.
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Two Dimensions of Confidential Computing:
- Protecting code and data from cloud operators (AWS).
- Protecting sensitive data and code from admin-level users or malicious actors within the customer's side.
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AWS Nitro System: The foundation of all virtualization for modern EC2 instances, addressing the first dimension of confidential computing by default.
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AWS Nitro Enclaves: Provides additional isolation for sensitive data processing, addressing the second dimension of confidential computing.
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Nitro TPM: Recently launched, allows cryptographic attestation of the health and integrity of instances.
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Operationalization of Nitro Enclaves: Enclaves are highly isolated and constrained virtual machines with no external network connectivity or persistent storage, and they can prove their identity for secure data processing.
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Integration with AWS Services: Nitro Enclaves integrates with AWS KMS for cryptographic operations and has support for Graviton processors and EKS for orchestration.
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Use Cases: Confidential computing is gaining traction in areas like blockchain, advertising technology, and multi-party collaboration.
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Resources: AWS has published a deep dive white paper on the Nitro system and offers a self-paced workshop for learning about Nitro Enclaves.
Insights
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Growing Importance of Confidential Computing: There is an increasing need to protect sensitive data types like PII, healthcare data, financial data, and IPs during processing in the cloud.
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AWS Nitro System as a Security Foundation: The Nitro system's architecture separates the virtualization system functions from customer workloads, providing strong isolation and security.
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Flexibility and Processor Agnosticism: Nitro Enclaves supports various processor types (Intel, AMD, Graviton) and offers flexibility in resource allocation for enclaves.
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Cryptographic Attestation and Integration: Nitro Enclaves can attest to their identity and have built-in integration with AWS KMS, enabling secure data processing workflows.
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Emerging Use Cases for Confidential Computing: The ability to process sensitive data in a secure, isolated environment opens up new possibilities for industries to collaborate without compromising data privacy.
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Resource Availability: AWS provides extensive resources, including technical documentation, white papers, and workshops, to help customers understand and implement confidential computing solutions.