Multiple system images for over-the-air updates

• US 8,832,439 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Djabarov, Gueorgui, Hotz, George, Gandhi, Shaheen Ashok
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Hosuk
• Application Number:
  US14/097,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20140095857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• Field of Search: 713168-170, 713/176, 713/181, 713/189, 713/191, 726 2- 7, 726 26- 30, 380/270, 717168-178
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1417 Boot up procedures
• 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 2201/805 Real-time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/30 Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

In one embodiment, a mobile device performs an over-the-air firmware update by writing the updated firmware to a inactive system image partition, and rebooting the device. The security of the OTA update is maintained through checking a plurality of security signatures in an OTA manifest, and the integrity of the data is maintained by checking a hash value of the downloaded system image.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by one or more computing systems, executing software from a first partition of system memory;

by the one or more computing systems, requesting an over-the-air (OTA) software update from an endpoint;

by the one or more computing systems, receiving a manifest for the OTA update;

by the one or more computing systems, downloading a payload pursuant to the manifest;

by the one or more computing systems, installing the payload into a second partition of system memory; and

by the one or more computing systems, rebooting, pursuant to the manifest, to the second partition of system memory.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the request comprises the serial number of the one or more computing systems.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the manifest comprises a predetermined battery state in which the one or more computing systems must be in order to download the payload.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the manifest comprises a predetermined time period during which the one or more computing systems may download the payload.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the manifest comprises a predetermined battery state in which the one or more computing systems must be in order to reboot to the second partition of system memory.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the manifest comprises a predetermined time period during which the one or more computing systems may reboot to the second partition of system memory.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the manifest comprises a manifest signature and device unique signature, and rebooting to the second partition of system memory comprises:

authenticating the manifest signature with a manifest signature public key;

authenticating the device unique signature with a device unique public key; and

failing to boot to the second partition of system memory if either authentication fails.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the manifest comprises a first hash value for the payload, and rebooting to the second partition of system memory further comprises:

calculating a second hash value for the downloaded payload based on a predetermined cryptographic hash algorithm;

comparing the first hash value to the second hash value; and

failing to boot to the second partition of system memory if the first and second hash values are not identical.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the manifest comprises an encrypted serial number, and rebooting to the second partition of system memory comprises:

decrypting the serial number with a serial number public key;

comparing the decrypted serial number to a serial number of the one or more computing devices; and

failing to boot to the second partition of system memory if the serial number and the decrypted serial number are not identical.

10. A method, comprising, by one or more computing systems:

receiving, from a client device, a request for an over-the-air (OTA) software update comprising a unique identifier for the client device and a digital signature;

authenticating the digital signature with a serial number private key;

in response to a positive authentication, generating an OTA manifest for the client device comprising one or more download instructions; and

transmitting the manifest to the client device.

11. A non-transitory, computer-readable media comprising instructions operable, when executed by one or more computing systems, to:

execute software from a first partition of system memory;

request an over-the-air (OTA) software update from an endpoint;

receive a manifest for the OTA update;

download a payload pursuant to the manifest;

install the payload into a second partition of system memory; and

reboot the one or more computing systems, pursuant to the manifest, to the second partition of system memory.

12. The media of claim 11 wherein the request comprises the serial number of the one or more computing systems.

13. The media of claim 11, wherein the manifest comprises a predetermined battery state in which the one or more computing systems must be in order to download the payload.

14. The media of claim 11, wherein the manifest comprises a predetermined time period during which the one or more computing systems may download the payload.

15. The media of claim 11, wherein the manifest comprises a predetermined battery state in which the one or more computing systems must be in order to reboot to the second partition of system memory.

16. The media of claim 11, wherein the manifest comprises a predetermined time period during which the one or more computing systems may reboot to the second partition of system memory.

17. The media of claim 11, wherein the manifest comprises a manifest signature and device unique signature, and rebooting to the second partition of system memory comprises:

authenticating the manifest signature with a manifest signature public key;

authenticating the device unique signature with a device unique public key; and

failing to boot to the second partition of system memory if either authentication faits.

18. The media of claim 11, wherein the manifest comprises a first hash value for the payload, and rebooting to the second partition of system memory further comprises:

calculating a second hash value for the downloaded payload based on a predetermined cryptographic hash algorithm;

comparing the first hash value to the second hash value; and

failing to boot to the second partition of system memory if the first and second hash values are not identical.