Trustworthy Systems

Verified protection model of the seL4 microkernel

Authors

Dhammika Elkaduwe, Gerwin Klein and Kevin Elphinstone

NICTA\ UNSW

Abstract

This paper presents a machine-checked high-level security analysis of seL4 — an evolution of the L4 kernel series targeted to secure, embedded devices. We provide an abstract specification of the seL4 access control system in terms of a classical take-grant model together with a formal proof of its decidability. Using the decidability property we show how confined subsystems can be enforced. All proofs and specifications in this paper are machine-checked and developed in the interactive theorem prover Isabelle/HOL

BibTeX Entry

  @techreport{Elkaduwe_KE_07:tr,
    address          = {Sydney},
    author           = {Elkaduwe, Dhammika and Klein, Gerwin and Elphinstone, Kevin},
    institution      = {NICTA},
    keywords         = {sel4, access control, proof, isabelle/hol},
    month            = oct,
    number           = {NRL-1474},
    paperurl         = {https://trustworthy.systems/publications/nicta_full_text/1474.pdf},
    title            = {Verified Protection Model of the {seL4} Microkernel},
    year             = {2007}
  }

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