Highlights:

  • Confidential computing is a feature that many server processors from Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. support.
  • Only the application to which it is assigned has access to a CCE. The isolated memory pool used by that application cannot be used by other workloads running on the same server.

According to a press release, Edgeless Systems GmbH has raised USD 5 million in funding. The startup uses confidential computing technology to make Kubernetes clusters more secure.

SquareOne led this round of seed funding. Multiple angel investors participated, including founders of Netlify Inc., a developer tooling startup estimated to be worth two billion dollars in 2021.

Confidential computing is a feature that many server processors from Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. support. The technology enables encryption algorithms to isolate a portion of a server’s memory. While processing, sensitive application data can be stored in isolated memory pools called confidential computing environments or CCEs.

Only the application to which it is assigned has access to a CCE. The isolated memory pool used by that application cannot be used by other workloads running on the same server. Additionally, neither the hypervisor nor the underlying operating system has access.

CCEs have a remote attestation feature as an extra security precaution. It enables businesses to ensure that a CCE is set up properly before handling sensitive data.

Constellation is an open-source, private computing platform created by German company Edgeless Systems. The startup claims that Constellation enables businesses to set up Kubernetes clusters in a separate CCE memory environment. A Kubernetes cluster is more difficult for hackers to compromise if it is separated from the rest of a company’s infrastructure.

All of the main cloud platforms are supported by Constellation. Edgeless Systems claims the platform can be set up with only a few commands and doesn’t require significant coding changes to current workloads.

Felix Schuster, Chief Executive Officer of Edgeless Systems said, “We are turning the public cloud into everyone’s private cloud. By encrypting data all the time, even at runtime, and providing the best possible protection against infrastructure-based threats like malicious admins or co-tenants, Edgeless Systems can transform the way developers build and secure their public cloud workloads.”

Constellation is one of many tools that Edgeless Systems provides to make it simpler for developers to use CCE technology.

MarbleRun, a tool for managing workloads in Kubernetes clusters powered by CCE, is one of the startup’s products. Between workloads, MarbleRun can establish encrypted network connections and verify the accuracy of their security configurations. The tool can automatically restore a software component in case of an outage.

Edgeless Systems provides EdgelessDB for managing application data. It is an open-source database explicitly designed to operate in private computing settings. EGo, a software development kit created by the startup, makes it simpler to create secure computing applications in the Go programming language.

According to Edgeless Systems, hundreds of developers at organizations like Intel, IBM Corp., and Robert Bosch GmbH use its software. With its recently announced new funding round, the startup will continue to grow and expand its market. Edgeless Systems plans to invest in the creation of new features as well as grow its sales and marketing teams as part of the effort.