Platform and method for remote attestation of a platform

• US 7,254,707 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2005
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Thakkar, Shreekant S., Neiger, Gilbert, Ellison, Carl M., Mittal, Millind, Reneris, Ken, Grawrock, David W., McKeen, Francis X., Sutton, James A., Herbert, Howard C., Golliver, Roger A., Lin, Derrick C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran; Tongoc
• Application Number:
  US11/203,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20060015719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 713164-173, 713/193, 711/152, 711/153, 711/173, 711/170, 711/163
• US Class Current: 713/164
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1491 in a hierarchical protection system, e.g. privilege levels, memory rings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/30189 according to execution mode, e.g. mode flag

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of attestation involves a special mode of operation. The method comprises storing an audit log within protected memory of a platform. The audit log is a listing of data representing one or more software modules loaded into the platform. The audit log is retrieved from the protected memory in response to receiving an attestation request. Then, the retrieved audit log is digitally signed to produce a digital signature in response to the attestation request.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

configuring a processor of a platform to operate in an isolated execution mode in a ring 0 operating mode, wherein the processor also supports one or more higher ring operating modes, as well as a normal execution mode in at least the ring 0 operating mode;

loading at least one software module into a random access memory (RAM) of the platform while the platform is operating in the isolated execution mode;

storing an audit log within protected memory of the platform, the audit log including data representing the software module loaded in the isolated execution mode;

retrieving the audit log from the protected memory in response to receiving an attestation request; and

digitally signing the audit log to produce a digital signature in response to the attestation request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data representing the software module comprises a cryptographic hash value.

3. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

issuing attestation cycles in response to receiving the attestation request; and

utilizing the attestation cycles to retrieve the audit log from the protected memory.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the operation of digitally signing the audit log comprises:

utilizing a private key to digitally sign the audit log.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the operation of loading at least one software module comprises loading, in a high privilege ring of the platform, at least one module selected from the group consisting of a processor nub and an operating system (OS) nub; and

the operation of storing an audit log within protected memory of the platform comprises storing, in the audit log, data that represents at least one loaded module.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the operation of loading at least one software module comprises loading, in a high privilege ring of the platform, at least one module selected from the group consisting of a processor nub and an operating system (OS) nub; and

the operation of storing an audit log within protected memory of the platform comprises storing, in the audit log, a cryptographic hash value for at least one loaded module.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the platform comprises a first platform;

the operation of receiving an attestation request comprises receiving the attestation request from a second platform; and

the method further comprises transmitting a response that attests to integrity of the first platform to the second platform.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input; and

determining whether or not to provide remote attestation, based on the user input.

9. A method comprising:

configuring a processor of a processing system to operate in an isolated execution mode in a ring 0 operating mode, wherein the processor also supports one or more higher ring operating modes, as well as a non-isolated execution mode in at least the ring 0 operating mode;

configuring the processing system to establish an isolated memory area in a random access memory (RAM) of the processing system and a non-isolated memory area in the RAM, wherein the processing system does not allow access to the isolated memory area if the processor is not in the isolated execution mode;

loading at least one software module into the isolated memory area of the RAM while the processor is operating in the isolated execution mode;

storing an audit log in the processing system, the audit log including data representing the software module loaded into the isolated memory area;

retrieving the audit log in response to receiving an attestation request; and

digitally signing the audit log to produce a digital signature in response to the attestation request.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein:

the operation of storing an audit log comprises storing the audit log within protected memory of the processing system.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein:

the operation of storing an audit log comprises storing the audit log within protected memory of the processing system; and

the operation of retrieving the audit log comprises retrieving the audit log from the protected memory.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the operation of storing an audit log comprises storing, in the audit log, data that represents software for booting the processing system.

13. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

executing a processor nub on the processor in the isolated execution mode;

loading an operating system (OS) nub into the isolated memory area, the OS nub to manage at least a subset of an OS to run on the processing system;

verifying the OS nub, using the processor nub; and

after verifying the OS nub, launching the OS nub.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the operation of storing an audit log comprises storing data that represents the processor nub in the audit log.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the operation of storing an audit log comprises storing data that represents the OS nub in the audit log.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein the operation of storing an audit log comprises:

storing data that represents the processor nub in the audit log; and

storing data that represents the OS nub in the audit log.