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14 Protection

This document discusses computer system protection. It covers goals of protection like ensuring correct access to objects. Principles discussed include least privilege. Protection is implemented using domains that group access rights and an access matrix mapping domains to objects and their operations. Capability and language-based systems provide alternative approaches to protection.

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49 views24 pages

14 Protection

This document discusses computer system protection. It covers goals of protection like ensuring correct access to objects. Principles discussed include least privilege. Protection is implemented using domains that group access rights and an access matrix mapping domains to objects and their operations. Capability and language-based systems provide alternative approaches to protection.

Uploaded by

sri_rags
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Chapter 14: Protection

Chapter 14: Protection


 Goals of Protection
 Principles of Protection
 Domain of Protection
 Access Matrix
 Implementation of Access Matrix
 Access Control
 Revocation of Access Rights
 Capability-Based Systems
 Language-Based Protection
Objectives
 Discuss the goals and principles of protection in a modern
computer system
 Explain how protection domains combined with an access matrix
are used to specify the resources a process may access
 Examine capability and language-based protection systems
Goals of Protection
 Operating system consists of a collection of objects, hardware or
software

 Each object has a unique name and can be accessed through a


well-defined set of operations.

 Protection problem - ensure that each object is accessed correctly


and only by those processes that are allowed to do so.
Principles of Protection
 Guiding principle – principle of least privilege
 Programs, users and systems should be given just enough
privileges to perform their tasks
Domain Structure
 Access-right = <object-name, rights-set>
where rights-set is a subset of all valid operations that can be
performed on the object.

 Domain = set of access-rights


Domain Implementation (UNIX)
 System consists of 2 domains:
 User
 Supervisor

 UNIX
 Domain = user-id
 Domain switch accomplished via file system.
 Each file has associated with it a domain bit (setuid bit).
 When file is executed and setuid = on, then user-id is set to
owner of the file being executed. When execution
completes user-id is reset.
Domain Implementation (MULTICS)

 Let Di and Dj be any two domain rings.


 If j < I  Di  Dj
Access Matrix
 View protection as a matrix (access matrix)

 Rows represent domains

 Columns represent objects

 Access(i, j) is the set of operations that a process executing in


Domaini can invoke on Objectj
Access Matrix
Use of Access Matrix
 If a process in Domain Di tries to do “op” on object Oj, then “op”
must be in the access matrix.

 Can be expanded to dynamic protection.


 Operations to add, delete access rights.
 Special access rights:
 owner of Oi
 copy op from Oi to Oj
 control – Di can modify Dj access rights
 transfer – switch from domain Di to Dj
Use of Access Matrix (Cont.)
 Access matrix design separates mechanism from policy.
 Mechanism
 Operating system provides access-matrix + rules.
 If ensures that the matrix is only manipulated by authorized
agents and that rules are strictly enforced.
 Policy
 User dictates policy.
 Who can access what object and in what mode.
Implementation of Access Matrix
 Each column = Access-control list for one object
Defines who can perform what operation.
Domain 1 = Read, Write
Domain 2 = Read
Domain 3 = Read


 Each Row = Capability List (like a key)
Fore each domain, what operations allowed on what
objects.
Object 1 – Read
Object 4 – Read, Write, Execute
Object 5 – Read, Write, Delete, Copy
Access Matrix of Figure A With Domains as Objects

Figure B
Access Matrix with Copy Rights
Access Matrix With Owner Rights
Modified Access Matrix of Figure B
Access Control
 Protection can be applied to non-file resources
 Solaris 10 provides role-based access control to implement least
privilege
 Privilege is right to execute system call or use an option within
a system call
 Can be assigned to processes
 Users assigned roles granting access to privileges and
programs
Role-based Access Control in Solaris 10
Revocation of Access Rights
 Access List – Delete access rights from access list.
 Simple
 Immediate

 Capability List – Scheme required to locate capability in the system


before capability can be revoked.
 Reacquisition
 Back-pointers
 Indirection
 Keys
Capability-Based Systems
 Hydra
 Fixed set of access rights known to and interpreted by the
system.
 Interpretation of user-defined rights performed solely by user's
program; system provides access protection for use of these
rights.

 Cambridge CAP System


 Data capability - provides standard read, write, execute of
individual storage segments associated with object.
 Software capability -interpretation left to the subsystem,
through its protected procedures.
Language-Based Protection
 Specification of protection in a programming language allows the
high-level description of policies for the allocation and use of
resources.

 Language implementation can provide software for protection


enforcement when automatic hardware-supported checking is
unavailable.

 Interpret protection specifications to generate calls on whatever


protection system is provided by the hardware and the operating
system.
Protection in Java 2
 Protection is handled by the Java Virtual Machine (JVM)

 A class is assigned a protection domain when it is loaded by the


JVM.

 The protection domain indicates what operations the class can (and
cannot) perform.

 If a library method is invoked that performs a privileged operation,


the stack is inspected to ensure the operation can be performed by
the library.
Stack Inspection

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