Launching updated firmware files stored in a dedicated firmware volume

• US 10,691,444 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2017
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Megatrends International, LLC
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends International, LLC
• Inventors: Subramanian, Senthamizhsey, Mosher, Bejean David, Grant, Rodney
• Primary Examiner(s): Deng, Anna C
• Application Number:
  US15/718,935
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 717169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1734 Details of monitoring file system events, e.g. by the use of hooks, filter drivers, logs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Technologies are disclosed herein for launching updated firmware file system (FFS) files of an updated firmware. Original FFS files may be stored in a first firmware volume and updates to any of the original FFS files may be stored as updated FFS files in a second firmware volume. When booting up a computer system with an original FFS file and a corresponding updated FFS file, either the original FFS file or the updated FFS file may be executed based at least in part on an indication of the updated FFS file in one of either a black list or a launch list. The first time a computer system is boot up after storing an updated FFS file in the second firmware volume, the updated FFS file may be executed to determine whether the execution of the updated FFS file warrants inclusion in either the black list or the launch list.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for updating firmware file system (FFS) files, the method, comprising:

identifying, by one or more processors, during boot-up of a computing system, a first FFS file stored in a first firmware volume within a non-volatile memory included in the computing system, and the first FFS file associated with a first identifier;

determining, by the one or more processors, during the boot-up of the computing system, that a second FFS file associated with the first identifier is stored in a second firmware volume within the non-volatile memory in the computing system, wherein the first firmware volume and the second firmware volume are in separate locations of the non-volatile memory in the computing system, and the second FFS file is an updated version of the first FFS file;

determining, by the one or more processors, during the boot-up of the computing system, based on the first identifier, that the second FFS file is not indicated in either a black list or a launch list, wherein the black list indicates whether an updated version of a first particular FFS file is not allowed to be executed when the updated version of the first particular FFS file is detected, and the launch list indicates whether an updated version of a second particular FFS file is allowed to be executed when the updated version of the second particular FFS file is detected;

executing, by the one or more processors, based at least in part on the determining that the second FFS file associated with the first identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, and based at least in part on the determining that the second FFS file is not indicated in either the black list or the launch list, instructions of the second FFS file;

determining that execution of the second FFS file does not result in any errors; and

updating, based at least in part on determining that the execution of the second FFS file does not result in any errors, the launch list to include the second FFS file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first identifier is a globally unique identifier (GUID).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first FFS file is a device driver and the second FFS file is an updated version of the device driver.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the one or more processors, a third FFS file stored in the first firmware volume and associated with a second identifier;

determining, by the one or more processors, that a fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, wherein the fourth FFS file is an updated version of the third FFS file;

determining, by the one or more processors, that the fourth FFS file is not indicated in either the black list or the launch list;

executing, by the one or more processors and based at least in part on the determining that the fourth FFS file is associated with the second identifier and is stored in the second firmware volume, and based at least in part on determining that the fourth FFS file is not indicated in either the black list or the launch list, instructions of the fourth FFS file;

determining that execution of the fourth FFS results in an error; and

updating, based at least in part on determining that the execution of the fourth FFS file results in an error, the black list to include the fourth FFS file.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

rebooting a system comprising the one or more processors; and

executing, by the one or more processors, based at least in part on inclusion of the fourth FFS file on the black list, instructions of the third FFS file.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the one or more processors, a third FFS file stored in the first firmware volume and associated with a second identifier;

determining, by the one or more processors, that a fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, wherein the fourth FFS file is an updated version of the third FFS file;

determining, by the one or more processors, that the fourth FFS file is indicated in the black list; and

executing, by the one or more processors, based at least in part on determining that the fourth FFS associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, and based at least in part on determining that the fourth FFS file is indicated in the black list, instructions of the third FFS file.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the one or more processors, a third FFS file stored in the first firmware volume and associated with a second identifier;

determining, by the one or more processors, that a fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, wherein the fourth FFS file is an updated version of the third FFS file;

determining, by the one or more processors, that the fourth FFS file is indicated in the launch list; and

executing, by the one or more processors, based at least in part on determining that the fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, and based at least in part on determining that the fourth FFS file is indicated in the launch list, instructions of the fourth FFS file.

8. An apparatus for updating firmware file system (FFS) files, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

a computer-readable medium, having instructions stored thereon that are executed by the at least one processor to;

identify, during boot-up of a computing system, a first FFS file stored in a first firmware volume within a non-volatile memory included in the computing system, and the first FFS file associated with a first identifier;

determine, during the boot-up of the computing system, that a second FFS file associated with the first identifier and the second FFS file is stored in a second firmware volume within the non-volatile memory in the computing system, wherein the first firmware volume and the second firmware volume are in separate locations of the non-volatile memory in the computing system, and the second FFS file is an updated version of the first FFS file;

determine that the first second FFS file is indicated in a launch list, wherein the launch list indicates whether an updated version of a first particular FFS file is allowed to be executed when the updated version of the first articular FFS file is detected, and a black list indicates whether an updated version of a second particular FFS file is not allowed to be executed when the updated version of the second particular FFS file is detected; and

execute, based at least in part on determining that the second FFS file associated with the first identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, and based at least in part on the determining that the second FFS file is indicated in the launch list, instructions of the second FFS file.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer-readable medium is a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) device, and the launch list and the black list are stored on the NVRAM device.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first identifier is a globally unique identifier (GUID).

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first FFS file is a device driver and the second FFS file is an updated version of the device driver.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer-readable medium has further instructions stored thereupon to:

identify a third FFS file stored in the first firmware volume and associated with a second identifier;

determine that a fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, wherein the fourth FFS file is an updated version of the third FFS file;

determine that the fourth FFS file is indicated in the black list; and

execute, based at least in part on the determining that the fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, and based at least in part on determining that the fourth FFS file is indicated in the black list, instructions of the third FFS file.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer-readable medium has further instructions stored thereupon to:

identify a third FFS file stored in the first firmware volume and associated with a second identifier;

determine that a fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, wherein the fourth FFS file is an updated version of the third FFS file;

determine that the fourth FFS file is not indicated in either a black list or a launch list;

execute, based at least in part on the determining that the fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, and based at least in part on determining that the fourth FFS file is not indicated in either the black list or the launch list, instructions of the fourth FFS file;

determine that execution of the fourth FFS file does not result in any errors; and

update, based at least in part on determining that execution of the fourth FFS file does not result in any errors, the launch list to include the fourth FFS file.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer-readable medium has further instructions stored thereupon to:

identify a third FFS file stored in the first firmware volume and associated with a second identifier;

determine that a fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, wherein the fourth FFS file is an updated version of the third FFS file;

determine that the fourth FFS file is not indicated in either the black list or the launch list;

execute, by the one or more processors, based at least in part on the determining that the fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, and based at least in part on determining that the fourth FFS file is not indicated in either the black list or the launch list, instructions of the fourth FFS file;

determine that execution of the fourth FFS results in an error; and

update, based at least in part on determining that execution of the fourth FFS file results in an error, the black list to include the fourth FFS file.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored for updating firmware file system (FFS) file, the instructions thereupon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

identify, during boot-up of a computing system, a first FFS file stored in a first firmware volume within a non-volatile memory in the computing system, and the first FFS file associated with a first identifier;

determine, during the boot-up of the computing system, that a second FFS file associated with the first identifier is stored in a second firmware volume within the non-volatile memory in the computing system, wherein the first firmware volume and the second firmware volume are in separate locations of the non-volatile memory in the computing system, and the second FFS file is an updated version of the first FFS file;

determine, during the boot-up of the computing system, based on that the first identifier, the second FFS file is indicated in a black list, wherein the black list indicates whether an updated version of a first particular FFS file is not allowed to be executed when the updated version of the first particular FFS file is detected, and a launch list indicates whether an updated version of a second particular FFS file is allowed to be executed when the updated version of the second particular FFS file is detected; and

execute, based at least in part on determining that the second FFS file associated the first identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, and based at least in part on the determining that the second FFS file is indicated in the black list, instructions of the first FFS file.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, having further computer-readable instructions stored thereupon to:

identify a third FFS file stored in the first firmware volume and associated with a second identifier;

determine that a fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume;

determine that the FFS fourth file is indicated in a launch list; and

execute, based at least in part on the determining that the fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, and based at least in part on the determining that the fourth FFS file is indicated in the launch list, instructions of the fourth FFS file.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first FFS file is a device driver and the second FFS file is an updated version of the device driver.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the second firmware volume has a plurality of updated FFS files stored therein, the plurality of updated FFS files including the second FFS file.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, having further computer-readable instructions stored thereupon to:

identify a third FFS file stored in the first firmware volume and associated with a second identifier;

determine that a fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, wherein the fourth FFS file is an updated version of the third FFS file;

determine that the fourth FFS file is not indicated in either a black list or a launch list;

execute, based at least in part on the determining that the fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, and based at least in part on the determining that the fourth FFS file is not indicated in either the black list or the launch list, instructions of the fourth FFS file;

determine that execution of the fourth FFS file does not result in any errors; and

update, based at least in part on determining that the execution of the fourth FFS file does not result in any errors, the launch list to include the fourth FFS file.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, having further computer-readable instructions stored thereupon to:

identify a third FFS file stored in the first firmware volume and associated with a second identifier;

determine that a fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, wherein the fourth FFS file is an updated version of the third FFS file;

determine that the fourth FFS file is not indicated in either a black list or a launch list;

execute, based at least in part on the determining that the fourth FFS file associated with the second identifier is stored in the second firmware volume, and based at least in part on determining that the fourth FFS file is not indicated in either the black list or the launch list, instructions of the fourth FFS file;

determine that execution of the fourth FFS file results in an error; and

update, based at least in part on determining that the execution of the fourth FFS file results in an error, the black list to include the the fourth FFS file.