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developer/system/architecture.md
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@ -11,37 +11,48 @@ ref: 56
title: Architecture
---
Qubes implements a Security by Isolation approach. To do this, Qubes utilizes virtualization technology in order to isolate various programs from each other and even to sandbox many system-level components, such as networking and storage subsystems, so that the compromise of any of these programs or components does not affect the integrity of the rest of the system.
Qubes implements a security-by-compartmentalization approach. To do this, Qubes
utilizes virtualization technology in order to isolate various programs from
each other and even to sandbox many system-level components, such as networking
and storage subsystems, so that the compromise of any of these programs or
components does not affect the integrity of the rest of the system.
[![qubes-schema-v2.png](/attachment/doc/qubes-schema-v2.png)](/attachment/doc/qubes-schema-v2.png)
Qubes lets the user define many security domains, which are implemented as lightweight Virtual Machines (VMs), or “AppVMs.” For example, the user can have “personal,” “work,” “shopping,” “bank,” and “random” AppVMs and can use the applications within those VMs just as if they were executing on the local machine. At the same time, however, these applications are well isolated from each other. Qubes also supports secure copy-and-paste and file sharing between the AppVMs, of course.
Qubes lets the user define many secure compartments known as
[qubes](/doc/glossary/#qube), which are implemented as lightweight [virtual
machines (VMs)](/doc/glossary/#vm). For example, the user can have “personal,”
“work,” “shopping,” “bank,” and “random” app qubes and can use the applications
within those qubes just as if they were executing on the local machine. At the
same time, however, these applications are well isolated from each other. Qubes
also supports secure copy-and-paste and file sharing between qubes, of course.
Key Architecture features
-------------------------
## Key architecture features
- Based on a secure bare-metal hypervisor (Xen)
- Networking code sand-boxed in an unprivileged VM (using IOMMU/VT-d)
- USB stacks and drivers sand-boxed in an unprivileged VM (currently experimental feature)
- USB stacks and drivers sand-boxed in an unprivileged VM (currently
experimental feature)
- No networking code in the privileged domain (dom0)
- All user applications run in “AppVMs,” lightweight VMs based on Linux
- Centralized updates of all AppVMs based on the same template
- Qubes GUI virtualization presents applications as if they were running locally
- All user applications run in “app qubes,” lightweight VMs based on Linux
- Centralized updates of all app qubes based on the same template
- Qubes GUI virtualization presents applications as if they were running
locally
- Qubes GUI provides isolation between apps sharing the same desktop
- Secure system boot based (optional)
(For those interested in the history of the project, [Architecture Spec v0.3 [PDF]](/attachment/doc/arch-spec-0.3.pdf) is the original 2009 document that started this all.
Please note that this document is for historical interest only.
For the latest information, please see the rest of the [System Documentation](/doc/#system).)
(For those interested in the history of the project, [Architecture Spec v0.3
[PDF]](/attachment/doc/arch-spec-0.3.pdf) is the original 2009 document that
started this all. Please note that this document is for historical interest
only. For the latest information, please see the rest of the [System
Documentation](/doc/#system).)
Qubes Core Stack
----------------
## Qubes Core Stack
Qubes Core Stack is, as the name implies, the core component of Qubes OS. It's
the glue that connects all the other components together, and which allows users
and admins to interact with and configure the system. The other components of
the Qubes system include:
the glue that connects all the other components together, and which allows
users and admins to interact with and configure the system. The other
components of the Qubes system include:
- VM-located core agents (implementing e.g. qrexec endpoints used by various
Qubes services)
@ -51,8 +62,8 @@ the Qubes system include:
located in the GUI domain which, for now, happens to be the same as dom0),
- GUI domain customizations (Desktop Environment customizations, decoration
coloring plugin, etc)
- The AdminVM distribution (various customizations, special services, such as
for receiving and verifying updates, in the future: custom distro)
- The admin qube distribution (various customizations, special services, such
as for receiving and verifying updates, in the future: custom distro)
- The Xen hypervisor (with a bunch of customization patches, occasional
hardening) or - in the future - some other virtualising or containerizing
software or technology
@ -69,5 +80,5 @@ And all these components are "glued together" by the Qubes Core Stack.
[![Qubes system components](/attachment/doc/qubes-components.png)](/attachment/doc/qubes-components.png)
This diagram illustrates the location of all these components in the overall
system architecture. Unlike the other Qubes architecture diagram above, this one
takes an AppVM-centric approach.
system architecture. Unlike the other Qubes architecture diagram above, this
one takes an app-qube-centric approach.