A configurable cryptography subsystem in a middleware framework for embedded systems

Computer and network security is becoming increasingly important as both large systems and, increasingly small, embedded systems are networked. Middleware frameworks aid the system developer who must interconnect individual systems into larger interconnected, distributed systems. However, there exist very few middleware frameworks that have been designed for use with embedded systems, which constitute the vast majority of CPUs produced each year, and none offer the range of security mechanisms required by the wide range of embedded system applications. This paper describes MicroQoSCORBA, a highly configurable middleware framework for embedded systems, and its security subsystem. It first presents an analysis of security requirements for embedded applications and what can and should be done in middleware. It then presents the design of MicroQoSCORBA’s security subsystem and the wide range of mechanisms it supports. Experimental results for these mechanisms are presented for two different embedded systems and one desktop computer that collectively represent a wide range of computational capabilities.