# US 9,882,901 B2 · End-to-end protection for shrouded virtual servers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,882,901 B2 - Document ID: US9882901B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/968,187 - Filed: 2015-12-14 - Published: 2017-06-15 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-14 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Khary J. Alexander; Utz Bacher; Reinhard T. Buendgen; Patrick J. Callaghan; John C. Dayka; Thomas B. Mathias; K. Paul Muller; James A. O'Connor; William J. Rooney; Kurt N. Schroeder; Peter G. Spera; Tiberiu Suto; Sean Swehla; Stefan Usenbinz; Craig R. Walters - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882901B2 ## CPC - G06F 9/45558: {Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects} - H04L 9/0825: {using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates} - H04L 9/32: including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system {or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials} - H04L 9/3268: {using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]} - H04L 63/06: {for supporting key management in a packet data network (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08)} - H04L 63/061: {for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838)} - H04L 63/08: {for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32)} - H04L 63/0876: {based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint} - H04L 63/123: {received data contents, e.g. message integrity} - H04L 63/126: {the source of the received data} - H04L 67/04: specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability - H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) - H04L 67/146: Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding - H04L 67/53: using third party service providers - H04L 67/568: Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching - G06F 8/63: {Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order} - G06F 2009/45575: {Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances} - G06F 2009/45587: {Isolation or security of virtual machine instances} - G06F 2009/45595: {Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Technical solutions are described for securely deploying a shrouded virtual server. An example method includes sending, by a host manager, authentication information of a hosting system to a client device in response to a request from the client device. The \method also includes receiving a request to deploy a virtual server using a shrouded mode. The method also includes deploying a preconfigured hypervisor on the hosting system, where the preconfigured hypervisor is deployed in an immutable mode that disables changes to security settings of the preconfigured hypervisor. The method also includes deploying, by the preconfigured hypervisor, a preconfigured boot image as an instance of the virtual server on the preconfigured hypervisor. The method also includes sending, by the host manager, an identifier of the virtual server for receipt by the client device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer implemented method for securely deploying a shrouded virtual server, the method comprising: sending, by a host manager, authentication information of a hosting system to a client device in response to a request from the client device; receiving, by the host manager, a request to deploy a virtual server using a shrouded mode, the shrouded mode preventing an administrator of the hosting system from accessing data of the virtual server, the request being sent by the client device in response to the hosting system being authenticated by the client device; deploying, by the host manager, a preconfigured hypervisor on the hosting system, wherein the preconfigured hypervisor is deployed in an immutable mode that disables changes to security settings of the preconfigured hypervisor; deploying, by the preconfigured hypervisor, a preconfigured boot image as an instance of the virtual server on the preconfigured hypervisor; sending, by the host manager, an identifier of the virtual server for receipt by the client device storing, by the host manager, a memory address range corresponding to the virtual server; and in response to a system failure in the virtual server, clearing, by the host manager, the memory address range prior to storing a memory dump. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: storing, by the host manager, a client device identifier corresponding to the client device in the virtual server; and validating, by the virtual server, a communication from the client device based on the client device identifier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising: storing, by the host manager, a client device identifier corresponding to the client device in the virtual server; and validating, by the virtual server, a communication from an authorized end-user device based on the client device identifier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the host manager configures the preconfigured hypervisor to encrypt the data in the virtual server using a session key received from the client device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the host manager configures the preconfigured hypervisor to encrypt paging data of the virtual server using a session key received from the client device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the host manager configures the preconfigured hypervisor to disable access to cache lines of the guest server. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to deployment of the preconfigured hypervisor, determining, by the host manager, authenticity of the preconfigured hypervisor by comparing a hash value of the preconfigured hypervisor with a predetermined value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to deployment of the preconfigured boot image, determining, by the host manager, authenticity of the preconfigured boot image by comparing a hash value of the preconfigured boot image with a predetermined value. ### Claim 9 A system for securely deploying a shrouded virtual server, the system comprising: a server computer; and a host manager console configured to: send an authentication information of a hosting system to a client device in response to a request from the client device; receive a request to deploy a virtual server using a shrouded mode, the shrouded mode preventing an administrator of the hosting system from accessing data of the virtual server, the request being sent by the client device in response to the hosting system being authenticated by the client device; deploy a preconfigured hypervisor on the hosting system, wherein the preconfigured hypervisor is deployed in an immutable mode that disables changes to security settings of the preconfigured hypervisor; deploy, via the preconfigured hypervisor, a preconfigured boot image as an instance of the virtual server on the preconfigured hypervisor; send an identifier of the virtual server for receipt by the client device store a memory address range corresponding to the virtual server; and in response to a system failure in the virtual server, clear the memory address range prior to storing a memory dump. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the host manager console is further configured to, store a client device identifier corresponding to the client device in the virtual server; and the virtual server is configured to validate a communication from the client device based on the client device identifier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the host manager console is further configured to store a client device identifier corresponding to the client device in the virtual server; and the virtual server is configured to validate a communication from an authorized end-user device based on the client device identifier. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the host manager console configures the hypervisor to encrypt paging data of the virtual server using a session key received from the client device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the host manager console is further configured to, prior to deployment of the preconfigured hypervisor, determine authenticity of the preconfigured hypervisor by comparing a hash value of the preconfigured hypervisor with a predetermined value. ### Claim 14 A computer program product for extending shrouding capability of a virtual server hosting system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device, the computer readable storage device comprising computer executable instructions, wherein the computer readable storage device comprises instructions to: send an authentication information of a hosting system to a client device in response to a request from the client device; receive a request to deploy a virtual server using a shrouded mode, the shrouded mode preventing an administrator of the hosting system from accessing data of the virtual server, the request being sent by the client device in response to the hosting system being authenticated by the client device; deploy a preconfigured hypervisor on the hosting system, wherein the preconfigured hypervisor is deployed in an immutable mode that disables changes to security settings of the preconfigured hypervisor; deploy, via the preconfigured hypervisor, a preconfigured boot image as an instance of the virtual server on the preconfigured hypervisor; send an identifier of the virtual server for receipt by the client device store a memory address range corresponding to the virtual server; and in response to a system failure in the virtual server, clear the memory address range prior to storing a memory dump. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer readable storage device further comprises instructions to: store a client device identifier corresponding to the client device in the virtual server; and validate a communication from the client device based on the client device identifier. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer readable storage device further comprises instructions to: store a client device identifier corresponding to the client device in the virtual server; and validate a communication from an authorized end-user device based on the client device identifier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer readable storage device further comprises instructions to configure the virtual server to encrypt paging data using a session key received from the client device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer readable storage device further comprises instructions to, prior to deployment of the preconfigured hypervisor, determine authenticity of the preconfigured hypervisor by comparing a hash value of the preconfigured hypervisor with a predetermined value.