System and method for securing a computer

• US 7,100,036 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Schwartz, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, VENKATANARAY
• Application Number:
  US09/999,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20030084316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot

Abstract

A computer security system comprises a motherboard comprising a processor and a memory. The system also comprises a drive device having an assigned identifier and coupled to the motherboard. The system further comprises a basic input/output system (BIOS) executable by the processor and adapted to compare the assigned identifier of the drive device with an identifier stored in the memory and boot the motherboard if the assigned identifier corresponds to the stored identifier.

Claims

1. A computer security system, comprising:

a motherboard comprising a processor and a memory;

a drive device having an assigned identifier and coupled to the motherboard; and

a basic input/output system (BIOS) executable by the processor and adapted to compare the assigned identifier of the drive device with an identifier stored in the memory and boot the drive device if the assigned identifier corresponds to the stored identifier.

2. The security system of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises a serial flash memory.

3. The security system of claim 1, wherein the assigned identifier is stored in the memory during an initial power-on self-test module operation.

4. The security system of claim 1, wherein the processor generates an alert if the assigned identifier is different from the stored identifier.

5. The security system of claim 1, wherein the computer security system is disposed on an Internet appliance.

6. The security system of claim 1, wherein the BIOS is adapted to compare the stored identifier with the assigned identifier during a power-on self-test operation.

7. The security system of claim 1, wherein the BIOS is further adapted to determine if a current activation of the system is an initial activation of the system and store the assigned identifier in the memory if the current activation is the initial activation.

8. A method for securing a computer system, comprising:

automatically polling a drive device to determine an assigned identifier associated with the drive device;

comparing the assigned identifier to an identifier stored in a memory of a motherboard; and

booting the drive device if the assigned identifier corresponds with the stored identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein comparing comprises comparing the assigned identifier to an identifier stored in a serial flash memory.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein automatically polling a drive device comprises automatically polling a hard drive via a basic input/output system (BIOS), the BIOS adapted to retrieve the stored identifier from the memory.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating an alert if the stored identifier is different from the assigned identifier.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing the assigned identifier associated with the drive device in the memory during an initial power-on self-test operation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein automatically polling comprises automatically polling the drive device during each subsequent power-on self-test operation.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein automatically polling comprises automatically polling a drive device during a power-on self-test operation.

15. A method for securing a computer system, comprising:

providing a drive device having an identifier;

providing a motherboard having a processor and a memory;

storing the identifier in the memory; and

providing a basic input/output system (BIOS) adapted to poll the drive device to retrieve the identifier and boot the drive device if the retrieved identifier matches the identifier stored in the memory.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating an alert if the retrieved identifier is different from the stored identifier.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein providing a motherboard comprises providing a motherboard having a serial flash memory, and wherein storing comprises storing the identifier in the serial flash memory.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the BIOS further comprises providing the BIOS adapted to poll the drive device during a power-on self-test operation.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein storing the identifier comprises storing the identifier in the memory during an initial power-on self-test operation.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein providing the BIOS further comprises providing the BIOS adapted to poll the drive device during each subsequent power-on self-test operation.