An seL4-based Trusted Execution Environment on RISC-V

In an era where digital security is paramount, the concept of Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) is crucial for safeguarding sensitive data within computing systems. This paper introduces an implementation of seL4 as a secure operating system in a TEE on RISC-V hardware. We address integration challenges, offering insights for future secure system designs. A comprehensive performance evaluation of the seL4-based TEE shows enhanced security and operational efficiency. This includes assessments of the Linux Rich Execution Environment’s (REE) performance and analyses of essential TEE services: Random Number Generation, Key Pair Generation, and Digital Signing Operations. Our deployment on the PolarFire SoC Icicle kit demonstrates practicality and viability in a real-world environment. This research contributes to trusted computing area by merging seL4’s robust microkernel architecture with RISC-V’s open-source flexibility, fostering secure, efficient, and adaptable computing solutions.