System and method for secure provisioning of an information handling system

• US 8,589,682 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2008
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Jaber, Muhammed, Shetty, Sudhir, Wilson, John, Web, Theodore III
• Primary Examiner(s): Blair, April Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gao, Shu Chun
• Application Number:
  US12/253,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 713/168, 726/2, 726/22, 709/220, 709/228, 709/229
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3215 using a plurality of channels network architectures or network communication protocols using different networks H04L63/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with provisioning of information handling systems, including without limitation those associated with bare metal provisioning of information handling systems, are disclosed. A system may include a processor, and a memory and an access controller each communicatively coupled to the processor. The access controller may store an enterprise public key associated with an enterprise private key and a platform private key associated with the system. The access controller may be configured to: (i) authenticate communications received from a provisioning server communicatively coupled to the access controller based at least on an enterprise public certificate associated with the provisioning server and (ii) establish an asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel between the access controller and the provisioning server based at least on a platform public key associated with the platform private key, the platform private key, the enterprise public key, and the enterprise private key.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor; and

an access controller communicatively coupled to the processor, the access controller having stored thereon an enterprise public key associated with an enterprise private key and a platform private key associated with the information handling system, the enterprise public key stored on the access controller prior to shipment of the information handling system to an enterprise associated with the enterprise public key, the access controller configured to;

authenticate communications received from a provisioning server communicatively coupled to the access controller based at least on an enterprise public certificate associated with the provisioning server;

establish an asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel between the access controller and the provisioning server based on keys, comprising a platform public key associated with the platform private key, the platform private key, the enterprise public key, and the enterprise private key, the platform public key encrypted using the enterprise public key and provided to the enterprise by a supplier; and

enable the information handling system to receive provisioning information from the provisioning server via the established communications channel, the provisioning information used to configure the information handling system.

2. An information handling system according to claim 1, the access controller further configured to encrypt communications to the provisioning server using the enterprise public key.

3. An information handling system according to claim 1, the access controller further configured to decrypt communications from the provisioning server using the platform private key.

4. An information handling system according to claim 1, the access controller further configured to provision the information handling system via communications received via the asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel.

5. An information handling system according to claim 1, the access controller further configured to establish a second asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel between the access controller and the provisioning server based at least on enterprise-provided credentials other than the enterprise public key and the enterprise private key.

6. An information handling system according to claim 5, the access controller further configured to provision the information handling system via communications received via the second asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel.

7. An information handling system according to claim 1, wherein the enterprise public key is communicated to the supplier by an enterprise.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, are configured to:

store an enterprise public key associated with an enterprise private key and a platform private key on an access controller associated with an information handling system, the enterprise public key stored on the access controller prior to shipment of the information handling system to an enterprise associated with the enterprise public key by a supplier;

communicate a platform public key associated with the platform private key from a supplier to the enterprise, the platform public key encrypted by the supplier using the enterprise public key; and

store a program of other instructions on the access controller, the program of other instructions configured to, when executed;

authenticate communications received from a provisioning server communicatively coupled to the access controller based at least on an enterprise public certificate associated with the provisioning server;

establish an asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel between the access controller and the provisioning server based on keys, comprising the platform public key, the platform private key, the enterprise public key, and the enterprise private key; and

enable the information handling system to receive provisioning information from the provisioning server via the established communications channel, the provisioning information used to configure the information handling system.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, the program of other instructions further configured to encrypt communications to the provisioning server using the enterprise public key.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, the program of other instructions further configured to decrypt communications from the provisioning server using the platform private key.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, the program of other instructions further configured to provision the information handling system via communications received via the asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, the program of other instructions further configured to establish a second asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel between the access controller and the provisioning server based at least on enterprise-provided credentials other than the enterprise public key and the enterprise private key.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, the program of other instructions further configured to provision the information handling system via communications received via the second asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, the program of other instructions further configured to receive the enterprise public key from the enterprise.

15. A method for secure provisioning of an information handling system, comprising:

providing a supplier of an information handling system with an enterprise public key associated with an enterprise private key;

receiving from the supplier a platform public key associated with a platform private key, the platform public key encrypted using the enterprise public key;

storing the enterprise public key and the platform public key on computer-readable media associated with a provisioning server; and

authenticating communications received from an access controller associated with the information handling system and communicatively coupled to the provisioning server based at least on a platform public certificate associated with the information handling system;

establishing an asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel between the provisioning server and the access controller based on keys, comprising the platform public key, the platform private key, the enterprise public key, and the enterprise private key, the enterprise public key stored on the access controller prior to shipment of the information handling system to an enterprise; and

enabling the information handling system to receive provisioning information from the provisioning server via the established communications channel, the provisioning information used to configure the information handling system.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising encrypting communications to the information handling system using the enterprise public key.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising decrypting communications from the information handling system using the platform private key.

18. A method according to claim 15,

further comprising provisioning the information handling system via communications received via the asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel.

19. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

generating credentials other than the enterprise public key and the enterprise private key; and

establishing a second asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel between the access controller and the provisioning server based at least on the enterprise provided credentials.

20. A method according to claim 19,

further comprising provisioning the information handling system via communications received via the second asymmetrically cryptographic communications channel.