SoK: Limitations of Confidential Computing via TEEs for High-Performance Compute Systems
- Resource Type
- Conference
- Authors
- Akram, Ayaz; Akella, Venkatesh; Peisert, Sean; Lowe-Power, Jason
- Source
- 2022 IEEE International Symposium on Secure and Private Execution Environment Design (SEED) SEED Secure and Private Execution Environment Design (SEED), 2022 IEEE International Symposium on. :121-132 Sep, 2022
- Subject
- Components, Circuits, Devices and Systems
Computing and Processing
Industries
Computers
High performance computing
Security
Proposals
trusted execution environment (TEE)
high-performance computing (HPC)
confidential computing
- Language
Trusted execution environments (TEEs) are primary enablers of confidential computing. This paper presents a systematization of the existing trusted execution environments in industry and academia. We highlight the common mechanisms these TEEs employ to provide different security guarantees and offer a detailed comparative analysis of different TEE proposals. TEEs are anticipated to be a promising solution for the security challenges in the high-performance computing (HPC) domain. However, this paper shows why the existing TEEs are unsuitable for high-performance computing systems. Finally, we present our call for action to work to evolve the TEE technologies with the evolving high-performance computing landscape.