Babel: a secure computer is a polyglot

Abstract

Why should a user's computer be trusted at all? We propose a new model of the computer, Babel, that makes a user's computer appear as it normally would, but is actually untrusted to the point where it cannot run the code installed on it. Each computer, each process, speaks a different language, and a translator on the network, in the cloud, is needed to allow a user's computer to execute code. This has enormous implications. The user gets continuous protection, and multiple kinds of protection, with no need for security updates or patches. At the same time, the user effectively has an adjustable control that they can set based on their risk assessment and need for privacy. Babel can work perfectly well alongside existing systems, and opens new markets for security.