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US 2003/0229802 A1Published application
Computer system apparatus and method for improved assurance of authentication
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsDavid Carroll Challener, David Robert Safford, Leendert Peter Van Doorn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computer system, method of operation, and program product which gives a clear indication to a user when a computer system has transitioned to a trusted state.
Claims12
A method comprising the steps of:
- initiating the operation of a computer system having trusted computing platform capabilities;
- executing code stored accessibly to the computer system to transition the computer system first to a state of presenting a secure virtual machine;
- retrieving while in the secure virtual machine state data stored in a platform configuration register;
- then
- locking the retrieved data against subsequent access by any virtual machine instantiation subsequently initiated;
- initiating authentication of a file while the computer system is in an insecure machine state;
- responding to initiation of authentication by transitioning the computer system to a secure machine state;
- announcing to a user entry into the secure machine state;
- and
- deriving from the locked data keys for authentication of the file.
7 more elements
Apparatus comprising:
- a computer system having a trusted platform module;
- memory associated with said computer system for storing code accessibly to said computer system;
- code stored in said memory and effective, on execution by said computer system, to cause said computer system on initiation of operation to transition first to a state presenting a secure virtual machine;
- said code, when executing on said computer system while in the secure virtual machine state, retrieving data stored in a platform configuration register and then locking the retrieved data against subsequent access by any virtual machine instantiation subsequently initiated;
- said code, when executing on said computer system while in an insecure state, responding to a user request for initiation of authentication of a file by transitioning the computer system to a secure machine state, announcing to the user entry into the secure machine state, and deriving from the locked data keys for authentication of the file.
2 more elements
Apparatus comprising:
- a computer readable medium;
- and
- code stored on said medium accessibly to a computer system having trusted computing platform capabilities and effective, when executing on said computer system, to cause the code and the computer system together to:
- initiate the operation of the computer system;
- transition the computer system first to a state of presenting a secure virtual machine;
- retrieve while in the secure virtual machine state data stored in a platform configuration register;
- then
- lock the retrieved data against subsequent access by any virtual machine instantiation subsequently initiated;
- initiate authentication of a file while the computer system is in an insecure machine state;
- respond to initiation of authentication by transitioning the computer system to a secure machine state;
- announce to a user entry into the secure machine state;
- and
- derive from the locked data keys for authentication of the file.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.