Marvell, Microsoft and Oracle develop open specification for in-server HSMs
Illustrative image: Kevin Ache on Unsplash
Marvell, Microsoft and Oracle have established an Open Compute Project working group to develop an open specification for integrated hardware security modules in cloud and hyperscale servers.
The group sits within OCP’s Security Track. Its proposed architecture places a hardware security boundary, key vault and attestation chain directly in the server, supporting secure key caching and cryptographic key-lifecycle management.
The companies aim to standardise an integrated HSM meeting NIST FIPS 140-3 Level 3 requirements. That is the specification’s intended security level, rather than an announcement that a finished implementation has received certification.
Marvell says locating cryptographic operations alongside the workload can reduce reliance on network-attached HSMs and keep keys within a protected hardware boundary.
An initial technical draft is targeted around the OCP Global Summit, with version 1.0 to follow. The companies also plan demonstrations and Security Track presentations during the event.
Other organisations can participate through the Open Compute Project.
