The Role of Trusted Execution Environment in HeLa Chain

In the realm of blockchain technology, privacy and security are key considerations for users and developers. The HeLa chain, a forward-thinking blockchain platform, has implemented innovative measures to safeguard user privacy, including the use of Trusted Execution Environment (TEE). This blog post explores how TEE functions on the HeLa chain and its role in enhancing privacy protection for users.

           Fig 1 :Trusted Execution Environment

1-Understanding TEE on the HeLa Chain

Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) (Fig1) is a secure enclave within a processor that ensures sensitive data is processed in a protected environment. On the HeLa chain, TEE serves as a shield for confidential operations, utilizing hardware-based security mechanisms to safeguard user data from unauthorized access. By leveraging TEE, HeLa reinforces its commitment to privacy protection and data security within the blockchain ecosystem.

2- Implementing TEE on the HeLa Chain

To implement TEE on the HeLa chain, specific technical agreements and protocols are followed to ensure a seamless integration. The HeLa development team adheres to industry best practices and standards to establish a secure TEE environment that meets the platform’s privacy requirements. By leveraging TEE, HeLa users can trust that their data remains confidential and secure, enhancing the overall integrity of the blockchain ecosystem.

3-Running TEE Environment Paratime Execution Layer

Running the TEE environment Paratime Execution Layer on the HeLa chain requires careful configuration and setup. Users can initiate the Paratime Execution Layer within the TEE environment by following a series of steps outlined by the HeLa platform. By executing operations within the TEE environment, users can benefit from enhanced privacy protection and secure data processing capabilities, ensuring the integrity of their transactions on the HeLa chain(fig 2)

Fig 2 : Running the TEE environment 

The Sapphire paratime enables users to run confidential smart contracts that can process sensitive data without revealing it to anyone, not even the node operators or the application developers. The data is encrypted before entering the enclave, where it is decrypted, processed by the smart contract, and then encrypted again before leaving the enclave. This process ensures that data remains confidential and is not disclosed to anyone.

4- Benefits of TEE on the HeLa Chain

 The integration of TEE on the HeLa chain offers several advantages for users. By creating a secure enclave for data processing, TEE enhances privacy protection and confidentiality, instilling trust among users. The use of TEE technology on the HeLa platform ensures that sensitive information remains secure and inaccessible to malicious actors, contributing to a safer and more reliable blockchain environment( see fig3 and fig 4).

Fig 3: Benefits of TEE

TEE provides several benefits for data privacy and security, such as:

• Secure peripheral access: TEE can directly access and secure peripherals such as the touchscreen, camera, microphone, etc., offering protection for user input and output.

• Secure communication with remote entities: TEE can secure data, communications and cryptographic operations. Encryption keys are only stored, managed and used within the secure environment, with no opportunity for eavesdropping.

• Trusted device identity and authentication: TEE can inject a root of trust that enables the legitimacy of the device to be verified by the connected service which it is trying to enroll with.

Fig 4: Benefits of TEE

One of the paratimes on HeLa chain is the Sapphire paratime, which implements the Oasis privacy technology that requires nodes to use a secure computing technology called Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX) to create a TEE within a virtual machine. SGX is a set of instructions that allows applications to create enclaves, which are protected regions of memory. Sapphire enacts Oasis’ privacy technology which requires nodes to use a secure computing technology called a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE). TEEs are analogous to a black box for smart contract execution.

The Sapphire paratime enables users to run confidential smart contracts that can process sensitive data without revealing it to anyone, not even the node operators or the application developers. The data is encrypted before entering the enclave, where it is decrypted, processed by the smart contract, and then encrypted again before leaving the enclave. This process ensures that data remains confidential and is not disclosed to anyone.

The Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) serves as a cornerstone of privacy protection on the HeLa chain, enabling users to engage in secure and confidential transactions. By understanding how TEE works on the HeLa platform and running the TEE environment Paratime Execution Layer, users can leverage the advanced security features offered by TEE to safeguard their data and enhance the overall privacy of their interactions on the HeLa chain. HeLa is a platform that enables scalable, secure, and privacy-preserving data sharing and computation. HeLa uses TEE to protect the data and code from unauthorized access and tampering. HeLa chain supports multiple paratimes, each with its own compute environment and state. One of the paratimes is the Sapphire paratime, which implements the Oasis privacy technology that uses SGX to create enclaves for confidential smart contract execution. To run the TEE environment paratime execution layer, you need to have a compatible hardware that supports SGX, install the SGX driver and PSW, and join the Sapphire paratime network using the Oasis Core tools.

References:

[1]: https://www.reddit.com/r/oasisnetwork/comments/y1e6l2/how_does_paratime_layers_work_exactly/.