Apple describes Secure Exclaves that isolate camera and microphone data
Original title: Apple Reveals How Secure Exclaves Shield Camera and Microphone Data
On HomeView, only a person identifier, position and confidence reach the main OS, not audio or video.
Apple published a description of Secure Exclaves, isolated silicon runtimes that process camera and microphone data for ambient sensing apart from the main operating system. Ambient sensing supports “Hey Siri” and, on HomeView, face and voice recognition. Apple says the main OS cannot read or alter exclave data and that only narrowly defined information may cross over. Formal verification of the capability-based microkernel found critical flaws during development; Apple says many were caught early and coverage is incomplete.
Unconfirmed: Apple says formal verification does not claim complete kernel coverage because the microkernel changes often.
- A gatekeeper exclave releases full sensor data only after the indicator has shown long enough.
- On iPhone, another exclave checks which indicator pixels were actually drawn.
- Exclaves also cover Siri Recap, Live Rewind and indicators on named Apple devices.
- The microkernel remains under active development and changes often.
- Vendors
- Apple
From the original article
2 min read at securityweek.com
The tech giant has detailed the architecture designed to isolate ambient sensor data from the main OS on HomeView and new iPhones. The post Apple Reveals How Secure Exclaves Shield Camera and Microphone Data appeared first on SecurityWeek.
By Eduard Kovacs · securityweek.com
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