Security Policy

Introduction

This example demonstrates how to specify a system specification.

Natural Language Description

We consider a smart card that we want to certify at EAL5+ level. It is necessary to model the security policy and to verify by proof that it is consistent.

We define:

  • the objects implemented in the security policy and

  • the expected security properties,

in terms of access rights to the various memories according to the type of process executing a given operation.

Global model

  • Representing the operation of the CPU, MPU memory system

  • Focused on memory access management

Objects

process mode USER or SUPERVISOR tMODE

memory type RAM, PUBLIC ROM or SECURE ROM tMEMORY

memory content DATA or CODE tCONTENT

operation READ, WRITE or EXECUTE tOPERATION

access GRANTED or NOT GRANTED tRESULT

Implementation of the security policy

Each time an attempt is made to perform an operation to a memory slot for a process mode, then the access is:

  • either allowed (GRANTED) or

  • not yet allowed (NOT GRANTED)

Modelling principles

The memory is abstract (we do not manipulate addresses but memory cells): abstract set MEMORY.

Indication functions allow to associate to each memory cell

  • Its type (memory map): MEMORY_TYPE : MEMORY --> tMEMORY

  • Its content: MEMORY_CONTENT : MEMORY --> tCONTENT

Four variables are defined:

  • currentCell currentCell : MEMORY

  • currentOperation currentOperation : tOPERATION

  • currentMode currentMode : tMODE

  • currentResult currentResult : tRESULT

Properties are permanently checked by these four variables.

Below is the skeleton of the B machine politique.mch:

MACHINE politique
SETS
  	MEMORY;
	tMEMORY={RAM, ROM_SECURE, ROM_PUBLIC};
	tCONTENT={DATA, CODE};
	tMODE={USER, SUPERVISOR};
	tOPERATION={OP_READ, OP_WRITE, OP_EXECUTE, OP_NONE};
	tRESULT={GRANTED, NOT_GRANTED}
CONSTANTS
	MEMORY_TYPE, MEMORY_CONTENT
PROPERTIES
	MEMORY_TYPE : MEMORY --> tMEMORY & 
	MEMORY_CONTENT :  MEMORY --> tCONTENT
VARIABLES
	currentCell, currentOperation, currentMode, currentResult
INVARIANT
	currentCell : MEMORY &
	currentOperation : tOPERATION &
	currentMode : tMODE &
	currentResult : tRESULT 
INITIALISATION
	currentCell :: MEMORY ||
	currentOperation :: tOPERATION ||
	currentMode :: tMODE ||
	currentResult :: tRESULT 
OPERATIONS
Init =
ANY cell, operation WHERE
	cell : MEMORY &
	operation : tOPERATION
THEN
	currentCell := cell ||
	currentOperation := operation ||
	currentResult := NOT_GRANTED
END;

ChangeMode =
ANY mode WHERE
	mode : tMODE & not(mode=currentMode) &
	currentOperation = OP_EXECUTE &
	currentResult = GRANTED
THEN
	currentMode := mode
END
END	

This specification needs to be completed with more operations and invariants. One operation and one invariant are given below.

operation EXECUTE access in RAM:

If the current memory location is RAM, the memory cell contains CODE, and the current operation is EXECUTE, then access is granted.

	executeRAM =
	SELECT 
		MEMORY_TYPE(currentCell) = RAM &
		MEMORY_CONTENT(currentCell) = CODE &
		currentOperation = OP_EXECUTE 
	THEN
		currentResult := GRANTED
	END

invariant ROM_SECURE out of reach from USER

A memory cell of type ROM_SECURE can only be read in SUPERVISOR mode.

	MEMORY_TYPE(currentCell)=ROM_SECURE &
	currentOperation = OP_READ &
	currentMode = USER
=>
	currentResult = NOT_GRANTED

:

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