Secure booting of a computing system based on write request and power-up management

Abstract

A secure boot computer system is provided. The system comprises a logic block comprising one or more processing units that executes instructions, the logic block being configured to request boot instructions over a first interface, according to a first communication protocol, on power-up or reset of the logic block. A controller component is configured to communicate with the logic block over the first interface according to the first communication protocol, the controller being further configured to implement a communications link to a second computer system and to receive the boot instructions from the second computer system. The logic block is preconfigured to communicate with the controller over the first interface according to the first communication protocol in a manner that cannot be altered by instructions executed by the logic block. The controller is configured to prevent the completion of any write requests from the logic block. The system further comprising a control connection between the logic block and the controller. The controller is further configured to use the control connection to power-up or reset the logic block to place the logic block in a predetermined active state resulting from executing the boot instructions, such that software operating on the logic block prior to power-up or reset of the logic block cannot affect the predetermined active state. A corresponding method and second computer system are also provided.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.