Securely writing data to a secure data storage device during runtime
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsDallas M Barlow, Stanley Hyojun Park, Christopher H Stewart, Baraneedharan Anbazhagan, Scott B Marcak, Richard A Bramley, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computer system includes an independent compute core; and an isolated secure data storage device to store data accessible only to the independent compute core. The independent compute core is to open an Application Program Interface (API) during runtime of the computer system in response to receiving a verified message containing secure data to be written to the secure data storage device.
Claims20
A computer system comprising:
- a main system processor;
- a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) comprising BIOS firmware;
- an isolated secure data storage device that comprises a backup copy of the BIOS firmware;
- and
- an independent compute core comprising a processor that is a separate entity from the main system processor of the computer system, the independent compute core having exclusive access to the isolated secure data storage device, the independent compute core programmed to verify the BIOS firmware prior to use of the BIOS firmware in booting the computer system;
- and
- wherein the isolated secure data storage device is to store data accessible only to the independent compute core;
- and
- wherein the independent compute core is to open an Application Program Interface (API) during runtime of the computer system in response to receiving a verified message containing secure data to be written to the secure data storage device and to use the API to write the secure data to the secure data storage device.
A method comprising:
- in a computer system having a main system processor and a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) comprising BIOS firmware, securing a backup copy of the BIOS firmware in a secure data storage that is accessible only to a BIOS watchdog system comprising an independent compute core, wherein the independent compute core comprises a processor that is a separate entity from the main system processor of the computer system, the independent compute core having exclusive access to the secure data storage that comprises the backup copy of the BIOS firmware;
- and
- during runtime of a computer system, opening an Application Program Interface (API) with the independent compute core in response to receiving a verified message containing secure data to be written to the secure data storage device;
- and
- writing the secure data to the secure data storage device through the API.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for an independent compute core of a computer system, the independent compute core comprising a processor that is a separate entity from a main system processor of the computer system, the independent compute core having exclusive access to an secure data storage device that comprises a backup copy of Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) firmware of the computer system, the instructions, when executed by the independent compute core of the computer system, cause the independent compute core to:
- upon receipt of a message, verify the message;
- in response to verification of the message, during runtime of the computer system, open an Application Program Interface (API);
- and
- write secure data from the message, after verification, through the API to the secure data storage device that is logically accessible only to the independent compute core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.