Secure boot administration in a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)-compliant computing device

• US 9,021,244 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2012
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insyde Software Corp
• Original Assignee: Insyde Software Corp
• Inventors: Bobzin, Jeffery Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US13/668,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20130124843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/155, 713/176, 713/187
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/034 Test or assess a computer or a system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Firmware in a UEFI-compliant computing device is used to administer and alter a Secure Boot process for the computing device while continuing to provide protection from unauthorized third-party code.

Claims

1. A method for administering a secure boot in a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)-compliant computing device, comprising:

receiving an interrupt command during a boot process for the UEFI-compliant computing device from a user, the boot process interrupted in response to the command;

displaying to the user, following the interruption of the boot process, a listing of at least one task related to administering the boot process;

receiving a selection of a listed task;

invoking System Management Mode (SMM) in response to the selection of the listed task;

performing the selected task in SMM using a firmware module executable only within SMM;

resetting the computing device after the performance of the selected task; and

re-starting the boot process for the computing device after the resetting.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing of the selected task further comprises:

enrolling a hash of an unsigned application in a system security database.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing of the selected task further comprises:

turning off a requirement to enforce the secure boot so as to allow all code to run during the boot process.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing of the selected task further comprises:

clearing a system security database of all certificates and disabling the secure boot.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the performing of the selected task further comprises:

restoring a system security database from a backup location or resetting the system security database to a factory setting.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the interrupt command may only be received from a physically present user who is physically accessing the UEFI-compliant computing device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the interrupt command may be received from a user who is accessing the UEFI-compliant computing device from a remote location via a secured platform firmware management tool.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising

resetting the computing device following the interruption and before the display of the listing of the at least one task.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for administering a secure boot process in a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)-compliant computing device, the instructions when executed causing the UEFI-compliant computing device to:

receive an interrupt command during a boot process for the UEFI-compliant computing device from a user, the boot process interrupted in response to the command;

display to the user, following the interruption of the boot process, a listing of at least one task related to administering the boot process;

receive a selection of a listed task;

invoke System Management Mode (SMM) in response to the selection of the listed task;

perform the selected task in SMM using a firmware module executable only within SMM;

reset the computing device after the performance of the selected task; and

re-start the boot process for the computing device after the resetting.

10. The medium of claim 9 wherein the performing of the selected task further causes the UEFI-compliant computing device to:

enroll a hash of an unsigned application in a system security database.

11. The medium of claim 9 wherein the performing of the selected task further causes the UEFI-compliant computing device to:

turn off a requirement to enforce a secure boot so as to allow all code to run during the boot process.

12. The medium of claim 9 wherein the performing of the selected task further causes the UEFI-compliant computing device to:

clear a system security database of all certificates and disabling the secure boot.

13. The medium of claim 9 wherein the performing of the selected task further causes the UEFI-compliant computing device to:

restore a system security database from a backup location or resetting the system security database to a factory setting.

14. The medium of claim 9 wherein the interrupt command may only be received from a physically present user who is physically accessing the UEFI-compliant computing device.

15. The medium of claim 9 wherein the interrupt command may be received from a user who is accessing the UEFI-compliant computing device from a remote location via a secured platform firmware management tool.

16. The medium of claim 9 wherein the execution of the instructions further causes the UEFI-compliant computing device to:

reset the computing device following the interruption and before the display of the listing of the at least one task.

17. A Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)-compliant computing device, comprising:

a processor, the processor supporting System Management Mode (SMM);

a display surface in communication with the UEFI-compliant computing device;

an input mechanism; and

at least one firmware module, the firmware module when executed;

receiving an interrupt command from a user via the input mechanism during a boot process for the UEFI-compliant computing device, the boot process interrupted in response to the command;

displaying to the user on the display surface, following the interruption of the boot process, a listing of at least one task related to administering the boot process;

receiving a selection of a listed task;

invoking SMM in response to the selection of the listed task;

performing the selected task in SMM; and

resetting the computing device after the performance of the selected task; and

re-start the boot process for the computing device after the resetting.

18. The device of claim 17 in which the task performed is to enroll a hash of an application be launched in the boot process into a system security database.

19. The device of claim 17 wherein the interrupt command may only be received from a physically present user who is physically accessing the UEFI-compliant computing device via the input mechanism.

20. The medium of claim 17 wherein the firmware module resets the computing device following the interruption and before the display of the listing of the at least one task.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for administering a secure boot process in a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)-compliant computing device, the instructions when executed causing the UEFI-compliant computing device to:

recognize a previously recorded request to administer a boot process during a boot process for the UEFI-compliant computing device from a user, the boot process interrupted in response to the recognition of the request;

display to the user, following the interruption of the boot process, a listing of at least one task related to administering the boot process;

receive a selection of a listed task;

invoke System Management Mode (SMM) in response to the selection of the listed task;

perform the selected task in SMM using a firmware module executable only within SMM;

reset the computing device after the performance of the selected task; and

re-start the boot process for the computing device after the resetting.

22. The medium of claim 21 wherein the request is recorded in a UEFI-defined variable set by the operating system.

23. A method for administering a secure boot in a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)-compliant computing device, comprising:

recognizing a previously recorded request to administer a boot process during a boot process for the UEFI-compliant computing device from a user, the boot process interrupted in response to the recognition;

displaying to the user, following the interruption of the boot process, a listing of at least one task related to administering the boot process;

receiving a selection of a listed task;

invoking System Management Mode (SMM) in response to the selection of the listed task;

performing the selected task in SMM using a firmware module executable only within SMM;

resetting the computing device after the performance of the selected task; and

re-starting the boot process for the computing device after the resetting.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the request is recorded in a UEFI-defined variable set by the operating system.