Managing Multiple Perspectives on Trust

http://events.berkeley.edu/index.php/calendar/sn/pubaff.html?event_ID=7376&date=2008-02-28

Seminar | February 28 | 1-2 p.m. | Soda Hall, Wozniak Lounge

Speaker/Performer:
Clifford Neuman, University of Southern California

Trusted computing provides methods for software components to establish confidence in the code with which they communicate. Such technologies are often used to support digital rights management and other mechanisms that protect service providers and owners of content. The same underlying mechanisms, however, can be used to protect the users from untrustworthy service providers. Providing strong security for future systems requires a clearer understanding of the protection boundaries to be enforced.

While trusted Computing can help enforce such boundaries, little work has been done to help us understand the structure of such boundaries. This talk discusses ongoing work to develop trusted computing architectures that support multiple perspectives on trust.

For users, the most trusted components are their own systems; the software from service providers is less trusted. Information providers place greater confidence in vetted code that runs on designated trusted computing hardware. The trusted computing reference monitor mediates requirements and obligations for each software component providing mutual protection to all involved.