Verifiable Execution Integrity in Cloud and Serverless Platforms: Threats, Cryptographic Countermeasures, and a Decentralized Trust Framework

Abstract

This research paper explores the critical challenge of verifiable execution integrity in modern cloud and serverless computing platforms. While services like Amazon Web Services Lambda and Google Cloud Functions provide scalable and efficient execution environments, they operate as opaque systems where users cannot verify whether their code is executed correctly or securely. The paper identifies a fundamental trust gap in current cloud architectures and presents a comprehensive threat model covering risks such as hypervisor compromise, malicious insiders, supply chain attacks, and output manipulation. It highlights how existing security certifications and auditing mechanisms fail to provide cryptographic guarantees of correctness. To address this problem, the paper proposes a novel framework called the CodeNet Integrity Layer (CIL). This system integrates multiple advanced technologies, including Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs), and blockchain-based audit mechanisms, to create a decentralized and trustless verification model. The framework ensures that computation outputs are provably linked to the correct code and inputs without relying on blind trust in the provider. The proposed solution is evaluated through experimental implementation, demonstrating that strong execution integrity can be achieved with minimal performance overhead, making it practical for real-world deployment. The research contributes to the future of secure, transparent, and trustless cloud computing, particularly for sensitive applications in finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure.