MILS virtualization for Integrated Modular Avionics
David N. Kleidermacher, Mike Wolf · 2008
Integrated modular avionics (IMA) is driving computer systems to manage and protect increasingly high value and complex information and applications across the aircraft. Virtualization is a promising emerging technology in avionics systems as a mechanism for consolidating disparate operating environments and functions onto a single computer. However, from a security perspective, commercial virtualization solutions add to the already fertile attack surface of general-purpose operating systems. This paper will provide an overview of embedded hypervisor technology and propose a MILS- and IMA-compliant virtualization architecture that assures the safety and security of critical applications while incorporating highly functional general purpose virtualized environments. A practical avionics application of this architecture will be presented.