Computing device boot software authentication

• US 9,141,802 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Yao, Jiewen, Zimmer, Vincent J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bae, Ji H
• Application Number:
  US13/626,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20140089651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/24 Loading of the microprogram
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• 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 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

Various embodiments are generally directed to authenticating a chain of components of boot software of a computing device. An apparatus comprises a processor circuit and storage storing an initial boot software component comprising instructions operative on the processor circuit to select a first set of boot software components of multiple sets of boot software components, each set of boot software components defines a pathway that branches from the initial boot software component and that rejoins at a latter boot software component; authenticate a first boot software component of the first set of boot software components; and execute a sequence of instructions of the first boot software component to authenticate a second boot software component of the first set of boot software components to form a chain of authentication through a first pathway defined by the first set of boot software components. Other embodiments are described and claimed herein.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor circuit; and

a storage device communicatively coupled to the processor circuit and that stores an initial boot software component comprising a sequence of instructions operative on the processor circuit to;

select a first set of boot software components of multiple sets of boot software components, each set of boot software components defines a pathway that branches from the initial boot software component and that rejoins at a latter boot software component;

authenticate a first boot software component of the first set of boot software components; and

execute a sequence of instructions of the first boot software component to authenticate a second boot software component of the first set of boot software components to form a chain of authentication through a first pathway defined by the first set of boot software components.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the instructions operative on the processor circuit to select the first set of boot software components based on detection of a removable storage medium accessible to the processor circuit and detection of the first set of boot software components stored in the removable storage medium.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the instructions operative on the processor circuit to select the first set of boot software components based on detection of a server accessible to the processor circuit via a network and detection of the first set of boot software components stored in a storage of the server.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the instructions operative on the processor circuit to select the first set of boot software components based on a specified order of priority of the pathways defined by the multiple sets of boot software components.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, the instructions operative on the processor circuit to:

select a second set of boot software components of the multiple sets of boot software components in response to a failure in authentication of a boot software component of the first set of boot software components; and

authenticate a third boot software component of the second set of boot software components.

6. The apparatus of claim 1:

the initial boot software component comprising a first public key;

the first boot software component comprising a first signature and a second public key;

the second boot software component comprising a second signature;

authenticating the first boot software component comprises verifying the first signature as created by a private key that matches the first public key; and

authenticating the second boot software component comprises verifying the second signature as created by a private key that matches the second public key.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, the initial boot software component comprising one of a whitelist and a blacklist, and authenticating the first boot software component comprises comparing the first signature to the one of the whitelist and the blacklist.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, the instructions operative on the processor circuit to execute a sequence of instructions of a boot software component of the first set of boot software components to authenticate the latter boot software component to extend the chain of authentication from the initial boot software component to the latter boot software component.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, the instructions operative on the processor circuit to execute a sequence of instructions of the latter boot software component to select the first set of boot software components based on reception of signals indicating operation of controls to select the first set of boot software.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a main processor circuit;

a main storage device communicatively coupled to the main processor circuit and that stores an initial boot software component;

a controller comprising a controller processor circuit communicatively coupled to the main storage device, and a controller storage device communicatively coupled to the controller processor circuit and that stores a boot routine comprising a sequence of instructions operative on the controller processor circuit to authenticate the initial boot software component; and

the initial boot software component operative on the main processor circuit to;

select a first set of boot software components of multiple sets of boot software components, each set of boot software components defines a pathway that branches from the initial boot software component and that rejoins at a latter boot software component, and the main storage device stores at least one set of boot software components; and

authenticate a first boot software component of the first set of boot software components to form a chain of authentication that extends from the boot routine and into a first pathway defined by the first set of boot software components.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, the initial boot software component operative on the main processor circuit to select the first set of boot software components based on detection of a removable storage medium accessible to the main processor circuit and detection of the first set of boot software components stored in the removable storage medium.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, the initial boot software component operative on the main processor circuit to select the first set of boot software components based on detection of a server accessible to the main processor circuit via a network and detection of the first set of boot software components stored in a storage of the server.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, the initial boot software component operative on the main processor circuit to select the first set of boot software components based on a specified order of priority of the pathways defined by the multiple sets of boot software components.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, the initial boot software component operative on the main processor circuit to:

select a second set of boot software components of the multiple sets of boot software components in response to a failure in authentication of a boot software component of the first set of boot software components; and

authenticate a third boot software component of the second set of boot software components.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, the initial boot software component operative on the main processor circuit to execute a sequence of instructions of the first boot software component to authenticate a second boot software component of the first set of boot software components to extend the chain of authentication from the initial boot software component through the first pathway.

16. The apparatus of claim 15:

the initial boot software component comprising a first public key;

the first boot software component comprising a first signature and a second public key;

the second boot software component comprising a second signature;

authenticating the first boot software component comprises verifying the first signature as created by a private key that matches the first public key; and

authenticating the second boot software component comprises verifying the second signature as created by a private key that matches the second public key.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, the initial boot software component comprising one of a whitelist and a blacklist, and authenticating the first boot software component comprises comparing the first signature to the one of the whitelist and the blacklist.

18. A computer-implemented method comprising:

executing a sequence of instructions of a boot routine on a first processor circuit to employ a first public key of the boot routine to authenticate an initial boot software component;

executing a sequence of instructions of the initial boot software component on a second processor circuit to select a first set of boot software components of multiple sets of boot software components, each set of boot software components defining a pathway branching from the initial boot software component and rejoining at a latter boot software component; and

executing a sequence of instructions of the initial boot software component on the second processor circuit to employ a second public key of the initial boot software component to authenticate a first boot software component of the first set of boot software components, forming a chain of authentication from the boot routine and into a first pathway defined by the first set of boot software components.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, the initial boot software component comprising one of a whitelist and a blacklist, and executing a sequence of instructions of the initial boot software component on the second processor circuit to authenticate the first boot software component of the first set of boot software components comprises comparing a signature of the first boot software component to the one of the whitelist and the blacklist.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, comprising selecting the first set of boot software components based on detecting a removable storage medium coupled to a computing device and detecting the first set of boot software components stored in the removable storage medium.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, comprising selecting the first set of boot software components based on a specified order of priority of the pathways defined by the multiple sets of boot software components.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, comprising:

selecting a second set of boot software components of the multiple sets of boot software components in response to a failure in authenticating a boot software component of the first set of boot software components; and

authenticating a third boot software component of the second set of boot software components.

23. At least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

select a first set of boot software components of multiple sets of boot software components, each set of boot software components defining a pathway branching from an initial boot software component and rejoining at a latter boot software component;

employ a first public key of the initial boot software component to authenticate a first boot software component of the first set of boot software components; and

employ a second public key of the first boot software component to authenticate a second boot software component of the first set of boot software components, forming a chain of authentication from the initial boot software component through a first pathway defined by the first set of boot software components.

24. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, the initial boot software component comprising one of a whitelist and a blacklist, and authenticating the first boot software component of the first set of boot software components comprises comparing a signature of the first boot software component to the one of the whitelist and the blacklist.

25. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, the computing device caused to select the first set of boot software components based on detecting a removable storage medium coupled to the computing device and detecting the first set of boot software components stored in the removable storage medium.

26. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, the computing device caused to select the first set of boot software components based on a specified order of priority of the pathways defined by the multiple sets of boot software components.

27. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, the computing device caused to:

select a second set of boot software components of the multiple sets of boot software components in response to a failure in authenticating a boot software component of the first set of boot software components; and

authenticate a third boot software component of the second set of boot software components.