Operator access exclusion (workload scope)

Why important?

Technical reduction of operator access (e.g. TEEs, attestation, customer-held keys), relevant for highly regulated data and workloads.

How measured?

• 0 = Operator can access workloads/OS (no protection)
• 1 = Access restricted but possible (break-glass without strong controls)
• 2 = Controls in place (just-in-time, logging), but access not excluded
• 3 = Access to workloads largely excluded or strongly reduced (limited scope)
• 4 = Strong technically enforced controls (e.g. Nitro/confidential computing) + processes
• 5 = Zero/no operator access (workload scope) + verifiably evidenced (attestation/evidence)
• N/A = no reliable evidence

Sources / Evidence

• https://aws.amazon.com/security/confidential-computing/
• https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/nitro/nitro-enclaves/
• https://www.t-cloud-public.com/en/blog/benefits/sovereign-with-a-european-cloud
• https://docs.aws.eu/esc/latest/userguide/ec2.html
• https://docs.aws.amazon.com/whitepapers/latest/overview-aws-european-sovereign-cloud/design-approach.html
• https://aws.amazon.com/de/blogs/germany/aws-nitro-system-erhaelt-unabhaengige-bestaetigung-seiner-vertraulichen-compute-faehigkeiten/
• https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/security/announcing-initial-services-available-in-the-aws-european-sovereign-cloud/
• https://documentation.syseleven.de/en/howtos/openstack-terraform-example/
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/developer/terraform/overview

Validation questions (RFP)

• Which TEE/confidential computing options are GA? Is remote attestation available? Who owns/manages the keys (BYOK/HYOK)? Which debug/break-glass paths exist? Are there production references?

Scores comparison