architecture/trusted_applications.rst - OP-TEE/optee_docs - TrustedFirmware Git Browser

 .. _trusted_applications:

 ####################
 Trusted Applications
 ####################
 There are two ways to implement Trusted Applications (TAs), Pseudo TAs and user
 mode TAs. User mode TAs are full featured Trusted Applications as specified by
 the :ref:`globalplatform_api` TEE specifications, these are simply the ones
 people are referring to when they are saying "Trusted Applications" and in most
 cases this is the preferred type of TA to write and use.

 .. _pta:

 Pseudo Trusted Applications
 ***************************
 These are implemented directly to the OP-TEE core tree in, e.g.,
 ``core/arch/arm/pta`` and are built along with and statically built into the
 OP-TEE core blob.

 The Pseudo Trusted Applications included in OP-TEE already are OP-TEE secure
 privileged level services hidden behind a "GlobalPlatform TA Client" API. These
 Pseudo TAs are used for various purposes such as specific secure services or
 embedded tests services.

 Pseudo TAs **do not** benefit from the GlobalPlatform Core Internal API support
 specified by the GlobalPlatform TEE specs. These APIs are provided to TAs as a
 static library each TA shall link against (the ":ref:`libutee`") and that calls
 OP-TEE core service through system calls. As OP-TEE core does not link with
 :ref:`libutee`, Pseudo TAs can **only** use the OP-TEE core internal APIs and
 routines.

 As Pseudo TAs runs at the same privileged execution level as the OP-TEE core
 code itself and that might or might not be desirable depending on the use case.

 In most cases an unprivileged (user mode) TA is the best choice instead of
 adding your code directly to the OP-TEE core. However if you decide your
 application is best handled directly in OP-TEE core like this, you can look at
 ``core/arch/arm/pta/stats.c`` as a template and just add your Pseudo TA based on
 that to the ``sub.mk`` in the same directory.

 .. _user_mode_ta:

 User Mode Trusted Applications
 ******************************
 User Mode Trusted Applications are loaded (mapped into memory) by OP-TEE core in
 the Secure World when something in Rich Execution Environment (REE) wants to
 talk to that particular application UUID. They run at a lower CPU privilege
 level than OP-TEE core code. In that respect, they are quite similar to regular
 applications running in the REE, except that they execute in Secure World.

 Trusted Application benefit from the GlobalPlatform :ref:`tee_internal_core_api`
 as specified by the GlobalPlatform TEE specifications. There are several types
 of user mode TAs, which differ by the way they are stored.

 TA locations
 ************
 Plain TAs (user mode) can reside and be loaded from various places. There are
 three ways currently supported in OP-TEE.

 .. _early_ta:

 Early TA
 ========
 The so-called early TAs are virtually identical to the REE FS TAs, but instead
 of being loaded from the Normal World file system, they are linked into a
 special data section in the TEE core blob. Therefore, they are available even
 before ``tee-supplicant`` and the REE's filesystems have come up. Please find
 more details in the `early TA commit`_.

 .. _ree_fs_ta:

 REE filesystem TA
 =================
 They consist of a cleartext signed ELF_ file, named from the UUID of the TA and
 the suffix ``.ta``. They are built separately from the OP-TEE core boot-time
 blob, although when they are built they use the same build system, and are
 signed with the key from the build of the original OP-TEE core blob.

 Because the TAs are signed, they are able to be stored in the untrusted REE
 filesystem, and ``tee-supplicant`` will take care of passing them to be checked
 and loaded by the Secure World OP-TEE core. Note that this type of TA isn't
 encrypted.

 .. _secure_storage_ta:

 Secure Storage TA
 =================
 These are stored in secure storage. The meta data is stored in a database of all
 installed TAs and the actual binary is stored encrypted and integrity protected
 as a separate file in the untrusted REE filesystem (flash). Before these TAs can
 be loaded they have to be installed first, this is something that can be done
 during initial deployment or at a later stage.

 For test purposes the test program xtest can install a TA into secure storage
 with the command:

 .. code-block:: bash

     $ xtest --install-ta


 .. _ta_properties:

 TA Properties
 *************
 This section give a more in depth description of the TA properties (see
 :ref:`build_trusted_applications` also).

 GlobalPlatform Properties
 =========================
 Standard TA properties must be defined through property flag in macro
 ``TA_FLAGS`` in ``user_ta_header_defines.h``

 Single Instance
 ---------------
 ``"gpd.ta.singleInstance"`` is a boolean property of the TA. This property
 defines if one instance of the TA must be created and will receive all open
 session request, or if a new specific TA instance must be created for each
 incoming open session request. OP-TEE TA flag ``TA_FLAG_SINGLE_INSTANCE`` sets
 to configuration of this property. The boolean property is set to ``true`` if
 ``TA_FLAGS`` sets bit ``TA_FLAG_SINGLE_INSTANCE``, otherwise the boolean
 property is set to ``false``.

 Multi-session
 -------------
 ``"gpd.ta.multiSession"`` is a boolean property of the TA. This property defines
 if the TA instance can handle several sessions. If disabled, TA instance support
 only one session. In such case, if the TA already has a opened session, any open
 session request will return with a busy error status.

 .. note::

     This property is **meaningless** if TA is **NOT** SingleInstance TA.

 OP-TEE TA flag ``TA_FLAG_MULTI_SESSION`` sets to configuration of this property.
 The boolean property is set to ``true`` if ``TA_FLAGS`` sets bit
 ``TA_FLAG_MULTI_SESSION``, otherwise the boolean property is set to ``false``.

 Keep Alive
 ----------
 ``"gpd.ta.instanceKeepAlive"`` is a boolean property of the TA. This property
 defines if the TA instance created must be destroyed or not when all sessions
 opened towards the TA are closed. If the property is enabled, TA instance, once
 created (at 1st open session request), is never removed unless the TEE itself is
 restarted (boot/reboot).

 .. note::

     This property is **meaningless** if TA is **NOT** SingleInstance TA.

 OP-TEE TA flag ``TA_FLAG_INSTANCE_KEEP_ALIVE`` sets to configuration of this
 property. The boolean property is set to ``true`` if ``TA_FLAGS`` sets bit
 ``TA_FLAG_INSTANCE_KEEP_ALIVE``, otherwise the boolean property is set to
 ``false``.

 Heap Size
 ---------
 ``"gpd.ta.dataSize"`` is a 32bit integer property of the TA. This property
 defines the size in bytes of the TA allocation pool, in which ``TEE_Malloc()``
 and friends allocate memory. The value of the property must be defined by the
 macro ``TA_DATA_SIZE`` in ``user_ta_header_defines.h`` (see
 :ref:`build_ta_properties`).

 Stack Size
 ----------
 ``"gpd.ta.stackSize"`` is a 32bit integer property of the TA. This property
 defines the size in bytes of the stack used for TA execution. The value of the
 property must be defined by the macro ``TA_STACK_SIZE`` in
 ``user_ta_header_defines.h`` (see :ref:`build_ta_properties`).

 Property Extensions
 ===================

 Secure Data Path Flag
 ---------------------
 ``TA_FLAG_SECURE_DATA_PATH`` is a bit flag supported by ``TA_FLAGS``. This
 property flag claims the secure data support from the OP-TEE OS for the TA.
 Refer to the OP-TEE OS for secure data path support. TAs that do not set
 ``TA_FLAG_SECURE_DATA_PATH`` in the value of ``TA_FLAGS`` will **not** be able
 to handle memory reference invocation parameters that relate to secure data path
 buffers.


 Cache maintenance Flag
 ----------------------
 ``TA_FLAG_CACHE_MAINTENANCE`` is a bit flag supported by ``TA_FLAGS``. This
 property flag claims access to the cache maintenance API for the TA:
 ``TEE_CacheXxxx()``. Refer to the OP-TEE to check if cache API support is
 enabled. TAs that do not set ``TA_FLAG_CACHE_MAINTENANCE`` in the value of their
 ``TA_FLAGS`` will not be able to call the cache maintenance API.


 Deprecated Property Flags
 -------------------------
 Older versions of OP-TEE used to define extended property flags that are
 deprecated and meaningless to current OP-TEE. These are ``TA_FLAG_USER_MODE``,
 ``TA_FLAG_EXEC_DDR`` and ``TA_FLAG_REMAP_SUPPORT``.

 .. _ELF: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executable_and_Linkable_Format
 .. _early TA commit: https://github.com/OP-TEE/optee_os/commit/d0c636148b3a
	.. _trusted_applications:

	####################
	Trusted Applications
	####################
	There are two ways to implement Trusted Applications (TAs), Pseudo TAs and user
	mode TAs. User mode TAs are full featured Trusted Applications as specified by
	the :ref:`globalplatform_api` TEE specifications, these are simply the ones
	people are referring to when they are saying "Trusted Applications" and in most
	cases this is the preferred type of TA to write and use.

	.. _pta:

	Pseudo Trusted Applications
	***************************
	These are implemented directly to the OP-TEE core tree in, e.g.,
	``core/arch/arm/pta`` and are built along with and statically built into the
	OP-TEE core blob.

	The Pseudo Trusted Applications included in OP-TEE already are OP-TEE secure
	privileged level services hidden behind a "GlobalPlatform TA Client" API. These
	Pseudo TAs are used for various purposes such as specific secure services or
	embedded tests services.

	Pseudo TAs do not benefit from the GlobalPlatform Core Internal API support
	specified by the GlobalPlatform TEE specs. These APIs are provided to TAs as a
	static library each TA shall link against (the ":ref:`libutee`") and that calls
	OP-TEE core service through system calls. As OP-TEE core does not link with
	:ref:`libutee`, Pseudo TAs can only use the OP-TEE core internal APIs and
	routines.

	As Pseudo TAs runs at the same privileged execution level as the OP-TEE core
	code itself and that might or might not be desirable depending on the use case.

	In most cases an unprivileged (user mode) TA is the best choice instead of
	adding your code directly to the OP-TEE core. However if you decide your
	application is best handled directly in OP-TEE core like this, you can look at
	``core/arch/arm/pta/stats.c`` as a template and just add your Pseudo TA based on
	that to the ``sub.mk`` in the same directory.

	.. _user_mode_ta:

	User Mode Trusted Applications
	******************************
	User Mode Trusted Applications are loaded (mapped into memory) by OP-TEE core in
	the Secure World when something in Rich Execution Environment (REE) wants to
	talk to that particular application UUID. They run at a lower CPU privilege
	level than OP-TEE core code. In that respect, they are quite similar to regular
	applications running in the REE, except that they execute in Secure World.

	Trusted Application benefit from the GlobalPlatform :ref:`tee_internal_core_api`
	as specified by the GlobalPlatform TEE specifications. There are several types
	of user mode TAs, which differ by the way they are stored.

	TA locations
	************
	Plain TAs (user mode) can reside and be loaded from various places. There are
	three ways currently supported in OP-TEE.

	.. _early_ta:

	Early TA
	========
	The so-called early TAs are virtually identical to the REE FS TAs, but instead
	of being loaded from the Normal World file system, they are linked into a
	special data section in the TEE core blob. Therefore, they are available even
	before ``tee-supplicant`` and the REE's filesystems have come up. Please find
	more details in the `early TA commit`_.

	.. _ree_fs_ta:

	REE filesystem TA
	=================
	They consist of a cleartext signed ELF_ file, named from the UUID of the TA and
	the suffix ``.ta``. They are built separately from the OP-TEE core boot-time
	blob, although when they are built they use the same build system, and are
	signed with the key from the build of the original OP-TEE core blob.

	Because the TAs are signed, they are able to be stored in the untrusted REE
	filesystem, and ``tee-supplicant`` will take care of passing them to be checked
	and loaded by the Secure World OP-TEE core. Note that this type of TA isn't
	encrypted.

	.. _secure_storage_ta:

	Secure Storage TA
	=================
	These are stored in secure storage. The meta data is stored in a database of all
	installed TAs and the actual binary is stored encrypted and integrity protected
	as a separate file in the untrusted REE filesystem (flash). Before these TAs can
	be loaded they have to be installed first, this is something that can be done
	during initial deployment or at a later stage.

	For test purposes the test program xtest can install a TA into secure storage
	with the command:

	.. code-block:: bash

	$ xtest --install-ta


	.. _ta_properties:

	TA Properties
	*************
	This section give a more in depth description of the TA properties (see
	:ref:`build_trusted_applications` also).

	GlobalPlatform Properties
	=========================
	Standard TA properties must be defined through property flag in macro
	``TA_FLAGS`` in ``user_ta_header_defines.h``

	Single Instance
	---------------
	``"gpd.ta.singleInstance"`` is a boolean property of the TA. This property
	defines if one instance of the TA must be created and will receive all open
	session request, or if a new specific TA instance must be created for each
	incoming open session request. OP-TEE TA flag ``TA_FLAG_SINGLE_INSTANCE`` sets
	to configuration of this property. The boolean property is set to ``true`` if
	``TA_FLAGS`` sets bit ``TA_FLAG_SINGLE_INSTANCE``, otherwise the boolean
	property is set to ``false``.

	Multi-session
	-------------
	``"gpd.ta.multiSession"`` is a boolean property of the TA. This property defines
	if the TA instance can handle several sessions. If disabled, TA instance support
	only one session. In such case, if the TA already has a opened session, any open
	session request will return with a busy error status.

	.. note::

	This property is meaningless if TA is NOT SingleInstance TA.

	OP-TEE TA flag ``TA_FLAG_MULTI_SESSION`` sets to configuration of this property.
	The boolean property is set to ``true`` if ``TA_FLAGS`` sets bit
	``TA_FLAG_MULTI_SESSION``, otherwise the boolean property is set to ``false``.

	Keep Alive
	----------
	``"gpd.ta.instanceKeepAlive"`` is a boolean property of the TA. This property
	defines if the TA instance created must be destroyed or not when all sessions
	opened towards the TA are closed. If the property is enabled, TA instance, once
	created (at 1st open session request), is never removed unless the TEE itself is
	restarted (boot/reboot).

	.. note::

	This property is meaningless if TA is NOT SingleInstance TA.

	OP-TEE TA flag ``TA_FLAG_INSTANCE_KEEP_ALIVE`` sets to configuration of this
	property. The boolean property is set to ``true`` if ``TA_FLAGS`` sets bit
	``TA_FLAG_INSTANCE_KEEP_ALIVE``, otherwise the boolean property is set to
	``false``.

	Heap Size
	---------
	``"gpd.ta.dataSize"`` is a 32bit integer property of the TA. This property
	defines the size in bytes of the TA allocation pool, in which ``TEE_Malloc()``
	and friends allocate memory. The value of the property must be defined by the
	macro ``TA_DATA_SIZE`` in ``user_ta_header_defines.h`` (see
	:ref:`build_ta_properties`).

	Stack Size
	----------
	``"gpd.ta.stackSize"`` is a 32bit integer property of the TA. This property
	defines the size in bytes of the stack used for TA execution. The value of the
	property must be defined by the macro ``TA_STACK_SIZE`` in
	``user_ta_header_defines.h`` (see :ref:`build_ta_properties`).

	Property Extensions
	===================

	Secure Data Path Flag
	---------------------
	``TA_FLAG_SECURE_DATA_PATH`` is a bit flag supported by ``TA_FLAGS``. This
	property flag claims the secure data support from the OP-TEE OS for the TA.
	Refer to the OP-TEE OS for secure data path support. TAs that do not set
	``TA_FLAG_SECURE_DATA_PATH`` in the value of ``TA_FLAGS`` will not be able
	to handle memory reference invocation parameters that relate to secure data path
	buffers.


	Cache maintenance Flag
	----------------------
	``TA_FLAG_CACHE_MAINTENANCE`` is a bit flag supported by ``TA_FLAGS``. This
	property flag claims access to the cache maintenance API for the TA:
	``TEE_CacheXxxx()``. Refer to the OP-TEE to check if cache API support is
	enabled. TAs that do not set ``TA_FLAG_CACHE_MAINTENANCE`` in the value of their
	``TA_FLAGS`` will not be able to call the cache maintenance API.


	Deprecated Property Flags
	-------------------------
	Older versions of OP-TEE used to define extended property flags that are
	deprecated and meaningless to current OP-TEE. These are ``TA_FLAG_USER_MODE``,
	``TA_FLAG_EXEC_DDR`` and ``TA_FLAG_REMAP_SUPPORT``.

	.. _ELF: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executable_and_Linkable_Format
	.. _early TA commit: https://github.com/OP-TEE/optee_os/commit/d0c636148b3a