Systems and methods for verifying the integrity of a software installation image

A method for protecting the installation of a software image, comprising:

• setting an initial access state for the software image granting access to a verifier engine and to update the access state for the software image in accordance with at least one security policy;
• verifying, with the verifier engine, the integrity of the software image;
• installing, with an installer engine, software contained in the software image according to the access state;
• and
• by a security monitor engine, setting a verifier integrity level for a verifier engine higher than a software image integrity level for the software image, and an installer integrity level for an installer engine higher than the software image integrity level for the software image, wherein the verifier engine is configured to verify the integrity of the software image, and the installer engine is configured to install software contained in the software image, setting a verifier access level for the verifier engine equal to the software image integrity level, setting an installer engine access level equal to the installer integrity level, and setting at least one security policy to allow components of the verifier engine or the installer engine access to another component when the respective access level of a first component does not exceed the respective integrity level of a second component, wherein when the verifier engine successfully verifies the integrity of the software image, the security monitor engine is further configured to change the software image integrity level to be equal to the installer engine access level.

A system for protecting the installation of a software image, the system comprising:

• computing hardware of at least one processor and a memory operably coupled to the at least one processor;
• and
• instructions that, when executing on the computing hardware, cause the computing hardware to implement:
• a security monitor engine configured to:
• set a verifier integrity level for a verifier engine higher than a software image integrity level for the software image, and an installer integrity level for an installer engine higher than the software image integrity level for the software image, wherein the verifier engine is configured to verify the integrity of the software image, and the installer engine is configured to install software contained in the software image,
• set a verifier access level for the verifier engine equal to the software image integrity level,
• set an installer engine access level equal to the installer integrity level, and
• set at least one security policy to allow components of the verifier engine or the installer engine access to another component when the respective access level of a first component does not exceed the respective integrity level of a second component,
• wherein when the verifier engine successfully verifies the integrity of the software image, the security monitor engine is further configured to change the software image integrity level to be equal to the installer engine access level.