Authentications integrated into a boot code image

• US 20030084275A1
• Filed: 10/31/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: David, John, Steiner, David John, Russell, Robert Eugene Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,993,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method, computer program product and system for storing or updating authentications, e.g., passwords, in a boot code image, i.e., binary executable boot code, stored within a Read Only Memory (ROM), e.g., flash ROM, of a terminal from a remote central site. An authentication may be stored in the boot code image in a terminal from a central site by creating a file comprising a boot code image storing the authentication at the central site and then storing the created file in ROM in the terminal. The file may be downloaded from a server at the central site to the terminal. An authentication in the boot code image in a terminal may be updated remotely from a central site by updating the file associated with the boot code image, i.e., updating the authentication, at the central site and then downloading the updated file to the terminal.

Claims

1. A method for updating authentications in terminals from a central site comprising the steps of:

identifying a file associated with a binary executable boot code to update, wherein said binary executable boot code in said file comprises a first authentication;

updating said first authentication in said binary executable boot code in said file to become a second authentication;

identifying one or more terminals to be updated with said updated file, wherein each of said one or more terminals comprises a read only memory configured to store said binary executable boot code comprising said first authentication; and

updating said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals with said updated file, wherein, upon updating said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals with said updated file, each of said one or more identified terminals stores said binary executable boot code comprising said second authentication in said read only memory.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals is updated via a network.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals is updated via a storage medium.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first authentication comprises a first password and said second authentication comprises a second password.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first authentication comprises a first authentication number and said second authentication comprises a second authentication number used to permit operation of software.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said binary executable boot code is Basic Input/Output System binary executable code.

7. A computer program product embodied in a machine readable medium for updating authentications in terminals from a central site comprising the programming steps of:

identifying a file associated with a binary executable boot code to update, wherein said binary executable boot code in said file comprises a first authentication;

updating said first authentication in said binary executable boot code in said file to become a second authentication;

identifying one or more terminals to be updated with said updated file, wherein each of said one or more terminals comprises a read only memory configured to store said binary executable boot code comprising said first authentication; and

updating said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals with said updated file, wherein, upon updating said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals with said updated file, each of said one or more identified terminals stores said binary executable boot code comprising said second authentication in said read only memory.

8. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals is updated via a network.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals is updated via a storage medium.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein said first authentication comprises a first password and said second authentication comprises a second password.

11. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein said first authentication comprises a first authentication number and said second authentication comprises a second authentication number used to permit operation of software.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein said binary executable boot code is Basic Input/Output System binary executable code.

13. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit coupled to said processor, wherein said memory unit is operable for storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is operable for performing the following programming steps;

identifying a file associated with a binary executable boot code to update, wherein said binary executable boot code in said file comprises a first authentication;

updating said first authentication in said binary executable boot code in said file to become a second authentication;

identifying one or more terminals to be updated with said updated file, wherein each of said one or more terminals comprises a read only memory configured to store said binary executable boot code comprising said first authentication; and

updating said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals with said updated file, wherein, upon updating said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals with said updated file, each of said one or more identified terminals stores said binary executable boot code comprising said second authentication in said read only memory.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals is updated via a network.

15. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals is updated via a storage medium.

16. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said first authentication comprises a first password and said second authentication comprises a second password.

17. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said first authentication comprises a first authentication number and said second authentication comprises a second authentication number used to permit operation of software.

18. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said binary executable boot code is Basic Input/Output System binary executable code.

19. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit coupled to said processor, wherein said memory unit is a read only memory unit, wherein said memory unit stores a binary executable boot code, wherein said binary executable boot code comprises an authentication.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said read only memory unit is a flash read only memory unit.

21. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said authentication is a password.

22. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said authentication is an authentication number used to permit installation of software.

23. A system, comprising:

a server; and

a plurality of terminals coupled to said server;

wherein said server comprises;

a processor; and

a memory unit coupled to said processor, wherein said memory unit is operable for storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is operable for performing the following programming steps;

identifying a file associated with a binary executable boot code to update, wherein said binary executable boot code in said file comprises a first authentication;

updating said first authentication in said binary executable boot code in said file to become a second authentication;

identifying one or more terminals of said plurality of terminals to be updated with said updated file, wherein each of said one or more terminals of said plurality of terminals comprises a read only memory configured to store said binary executable boot code comprising said first authentication; and

updating said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals with said updated file, wherein, upon updating said binary executable boot code in each of said one or more identified terminals with said updated file, each of said one or more identified terminals stores said binary executable boot code comprising said second updated authentication in said read only memory.

24. A method for storing authentications in terminals from a central site comprising the steps of:

creating a file comprising a binary executable boot code, wherein said binary executable boot code in said file comprises an authentication;

identifying one or more terminals to store said file, wherein each of said one or more terminals comprises a read only memory; and

storing said file in said read only memory in each of said identified one or more terminals, wherein each of said one or more identified terminals stores said binary executable boot code comprising said authentication in said read only memory.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein said authentication is an authentication number used to permit installation of software.

26. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit coupled to said processor, wherein said memory unit is operable for storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is operable for performing the following programming steps;

creating a file comprising a binary executable boot code, wherein said binary executable boot code in said file comprises an authentication;

identifying one or more terminals to store said file, wherein each of said one or more terminals comprises a read only memory; and

storing said file in said read only memory in each of said identified one or more terminals, wherein each of said one or more identified terminals stores said binary executable boot code comprising said authentication in said read only memory.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein said authentication is an authentication number used to permit installation of software.