Ensuring that sensitive business logic only runs in a trusted environment is a cornerstone of secure cloud computing. To demonstrate this principle, I’ve published a Spring Boot application that performs attestation of an Azure Confidential Compute VM before executing protected operations. You can explore the source code here: GitHub Repository.
Why Attestation Matters
In Azure, guest attestation helps confirm that a confidential VM is backed by genuine hardware-based Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) with features like secure boot enabled. This ensures that workloads are isolated, integrity is maintained, and compliance requirements are met before sensitive logic is executed. For a deeper dive, see Microsoft’s official documentation: Guest Attestation for Confidential VMs.
About the Demo Application
This Java sample is a simple Spring Boot variant of the examples provided in Microsoft’s documentation. It implements a secure attestation flow using the Microsoft Azure Attestation (MAA) service. Key features include:
- VM Attestation: Validates that the application runs on an Azure Confidential Compute VM.
- JWT Token Verification: Confirms the authenticity of MAA-issued tokens.
- Compliance Checking: Ensures secure boot is enabled and the VM is Azure-compliant.
- Protected Business Logic: Sensitive operations only run after successful attestation.
- Detailed Execution Trail: Comprehensive logging of the attestation process.
This demo is not intended to showcase a novel approach—it’s a practical, developer-friendly example to help you integrate attestation into Java applications.
Learn More About Confidential Computing
Azure Confidential Computing extends protection beyond data at rest and in transit, safeguarding data in use inside hardware-based TEEs. This capability is especially valuable for organisations handling sensitive or regulated workloads. For a broader overview, visit: Azure Confidential Computing Overview.
Sovereign Cloud Resources
For those working in regulated industries or regions with strict compliance requirements, Microsoft’s Sovereign Cloud offerings provide additional controls and assurances. Explore these resources to understand how Sovereign Cloud can support your workloads:
👉 Microsoft Sovereign Cloud Documentation
Closing Thoughts
This demo application is meant to serve as a starting point for developers exploring confidential computing in Java. By following the attestation flow, you can ensure that your applications only execute sensitive logic in environments that meet Azure’s compliance and integrity standards.
If you’re building enterprise-grade solutions, combining Confidential Computing with Sovereign Cloud principles can help you achieve both technical assurance and regulatory compliance.