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Overview

Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) give SKALE hardware-backed isolation for sensitive operations. They safeguard validator keys, DKG steps, and confidential computations inside secure enclaves. [Graphic placeholder: Enclave boundary protecting keys and code]

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What are TEEs?

TEEs are secure areas of a processor that provide:
  • Isolated execution - Code runs in a protected environment
  • Data confidentiality - Data is encrypted and protected
  • Integrity verification - Code and data integrity can be verified
  • Remote attestation - Proof that code is running in a genuine TEE

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TEEs in SKALE

SKALE utilizes TEEs for:
  • Key Management - Secure storage and management of cryptographic keys
  • DKG Operations - Secure distributed key generation for BLS signatures
  • Private Operations - Secure execution of sensitive computations
These protections reduce trust in node operators and harden the network against key theft or tampering.

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Benefits

  • Enhanced Security - Hardware-level protection for critical operations
  • Key Protection - Cryptographic keys are protected even from node operators
  • Trust Minimization - Reduces trust requirements in validator operations
  • Compliance - Enables compliance with security requirements

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Implementation

SKALE’s TEE implementation uses:
  • SGX (Software Guard Extensions) - Intel’s TEE technology
  • Remote Attestation - Verification of TEE authenticity
  • Secure Key Storage - Keys stored and used within TEE boundaries

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Use Cases

  • Validator Operations - Secure key management for validators
  • Enterprise Deployments - Additional security for enterprise chains
  • Compliance - Meeting regulatory requirements for data protection
  • Confidential Computing - Secure computation of sensitive data
[Graphic placeholder: Workflow showing attestation before using TEE-hosted keys]