Secure booting of computer system
AssigneeVMware, Inc.
InventorsMukund Gunti, Timothy P. Mann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A computer system is securely booted by executing a boot firmware to locate a boot loader and verify the boot loader using a first key that is associated with the boot firmware. Upon verifying the boot loader, computer system executes the boot loader to verify a system software kernel and a secure boot verifier using a second key that is associated with the boot loader. The secure boot verifier is then executed to verify the remaining executable software modules to be loaded during boot using a third key that is associated with the secure boot verifier and a fourth key that is associated with a user of the computer system.
Claims22
A method of securely booting a computer system, comprising:
- executing a boot firmware to locate a boot loader and verify the boot loader using a first key that is associated with the boot firmware;
- upon verifying the boot loader, executing the verified boot loader to verify a system software kernel and a secure boot verifier using a second key that is associated with the verified boot loader, wherein the verified boot loader verifies at least two components using a separate verification step for each component;
- executing the secure boot verifier to verify a first set of software modules using a third key that is associated with the secure boot verifier and a second set of software modules using a fourth key that is associated with a user of the computer system;
- and
- after verifying the additional software modules, transferring execution control to the system software kernel.
A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions for causing a computer system to perform a booting process that includes the steps of:
- executing a boot firmware to locate a boot loader and verify the boot loader using a first key that is associated with the boot firmware;
- upon verifying the boot loader, executing the verified boot loader to verify a system software kernel and a secure boot verifier using a second key that is associated with the verified boot loader, wherein the verified boot loader verifies at least two components using a separate verification step for each component;
- executing the secure boot verifier to verify a first set of software modules using a third key that is associated with the secure boot verifier and a second set of software modules using a fourth key that is associated with a user of the computer system;
- and
- after verifying the additional software modules, transferring execution control to the system software kernel.
A computer system comprising a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, and processor that executes a booting process that includes the steps of:
- executing a boot firmware to locate a boot loader and verify the boot loader using a first key that is associated with the boot firmware;
- upon verifying the boot loader, executing the verified boot loader to verify a system software kernel and a secure boot verifier using a second key that is associated with the verified boot loader, wherein the verified boot loader verifies at least two components using a separate verification step for each component;
- executing the secure boot verifier to verify a first set of software modules using a third key that is associated with the secure boot verifier and a second set of software modules using a fourth key that is associated with a user of the computer system;
- and
- after verifying the additional software modules, transferring execution control to the system software kernel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.