MILS virtualization for Integrated Modular Avionics

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.