Updating software

• US 10,620,936 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2018
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gilbert, David A., Haikney, David, Walker, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Application Number:
  US15/967,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20180246709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45562 Creating, deleting, cloning virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects

Abstract

Updating boot components in compliance with a chain of trust by loading a boot component update forming part of the chain of trust during a boot process in an execution environment. Boot component measurements are detected and stored as a revised set of attestation values for retrieval by an attestation system. Performing the boot component update upon determining a pass indication for the chain of trust including the boot component update.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

loading, using a boot process, a first set of boot components in a chain of trust;

establishing, using a hypervisor, the chain of trust for the set of boot components, wherein the hypervisor represents a trust anchor for the chain of trust;

storing, in a platform configuration register, a first set of boot component measurements for the first set of boot components, the first set of boot component measurement representing a first set of attestation values for use in verifying the chain of trust;

loading, with respect to the first set of boot components, an update forming part of the chain of trust during a boot process in an execution environment, the update creating a second set of boot components;

detecting, for the second set of boot components, a second set of boot component measurements;

storing, in the platform configuration register, the second set of boot component measurements as a second set of attestation values;

notifying an attestation system that the second set of attestation values correspond to the chain of trust including the update;

retrieving, by an attestation process performed by the attestation system, based on the notice, the second set of attestation values for attestation of the chain of trust;

comparing, by the attestation process, the second set of boot component measurements with the second set of attestation values;

determining, by the attestation process and based on comparing the second set of boot component measurements with the second set of attestation values, a pass indication for the chain of trust including the update; and

performing, in response to determining the pass indication for the chain of trust, the update for the second set of boot components.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein storing, in the platform configuration register, the second set of boot component measurements as a second set of attestation values includes:

modifying the first set of boot component measurements in the platform configuration register.

3. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a set of instructions stored therein which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to update a set of boot components by:

loading, using a boot process, a first set of boot components in a chain of trust;

establishing, using a hypervisor, the chain of trust for the set of boot components, wherein the hypervisor represents a trust anchor for the chain of trust;

storing, in a platform configuration register, a first set of boot component measurements for the first set of boot components, the first set of boot component measurement representing a first set of attestation values for use in verifying the chain of trust;

loading, with respect to the first set of boot components, an update forming part of the chain of trust during a boot process in an execution environment, the update creating a second set of boot components;

detecting, for the second set of boot components, a second set of boot component measurements;

storing, in the platform configuration register, the second set of boot component measurements as a second set of attestation values;

notifying an attestation system that the second set of attestation values correspond to the chain of trust including the update;

retrieving, by an attestation process performed by the attestation system, based on the notice, the second set of attestation values for attestation of the chain of trust;

comparing, by the attestation process, the second set of boot component measurements with the second set of attestation values;

determining, by the attestation process and based on comparing the second set of boot component measurements with the second set of attestation values, a pass indication for the chain of trust including the update; and

performing, in response to determining the pass indication for the chain of trust, the update for the second set of boot components.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein storing, in the platform configuration register, the second set of boot component measurements as a second set of attestation values includes:

modifying the first set of boot component measurements in the platform configuration register.

5. A computer system comprising:

a processor set; and

a computer readable storage medium;

wherein;

the processor set is structured, located, connected, and/or programmed to run program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium; and

the program instructions which, when executed by the processor set, cause the processor set to update a set of boot components by;

loading, using a boot process, a first set of boot components in a chain of trust;

establishing, using a hypervisor, the chain of trust for the set of boot components, wherein the hypervisor represents a trust anchor for the chain of trust;

storing, in a platform configuration register, a first set of boot component measurements for the first set of boot components, the first set of boot component measurement representing a first set of attestation values for use in verifying the chain of trust;

loading, with respect to the first set of boot components, an update forming part of the chain of trust during a boot process in an execution environment, the update creating a second set of boot components;

detecting, for the second set of boot components, a second set of boot component measurements;

storing, in the platform configuration register, the second set of boot component measurements as a second set of attestation values;

notifying an attestation system that the second set of attestation values correspond to the chain of trust including the update;

retrieving, by an attestation process performed by the attestation system, based on the notice, the second set of attestation values for attestation of the chain of trust;

comparing, by the attestation process, the second set of boot component measurements with the second set of attestation values;

determining, by the attestation process and based on comparing the second set of boot component measurements with the second set of attestation values, a pass indication for the chain of trust including the update; and

performing, in response to determining the pass indication for the chain of trust, the update for the second set of boot components.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein storing, in the platform configuration register, the second set of boot component measurements as a second set of attestation values includes:

modifying the first set of boot component measurements in the platform configuration register.