Evaluating Intel TDX for Secure Verification of Replication Packages

Abstract

Replication packages are a collection of raw data and coding scripts that can be used to recreate the results of a research paper. Without secure protections, these packages are vulnerable to tampering and data leakage, which can lead to misinformed decisions and reduced trust in academic findings. This study evaluates Intel Trust Domain Extensions (Intel TDX), a confidential computing technology that runs code in secure, isolated environments, in order to verify replication packages from Management Science (2024). Each package was tested using a TDX-enabled virtual machine on Google Cloud, and the results were compared to published outputs. Intel TDX successfully protected against unauthorized access, but technical limitations, such as file input and output restrictions, limited software support, and resource constraints, led to replication times ranging from 0.8 to 3.3 hours and an 80 percent success rate. While Intel TDX provides strong security benefits, broader adoption will require improved automation and more standardized replication packages.