Method, apparatus, and system for facilitating secure computing

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system are described for facilitating secure computing. A method of booting a computer invokes a program contained in a read-only memory on power-up of the computer, where the program contains at least a minimal operating system, then searches for at least an additional operating system program necessary to complete the booting of the computer. The additional operating system program is read-only, or is modifiable only by an updated program contained in a server accessible to the computer. The booting of the computer is halted if the additional operating system program is not accessible to the computer. The booting of the computer proceeds if the additional operating system program is accessible to the computer. One embodiment of the invention is a computer system containing at least a processor, a first read/write memory coupled to the processor, a boot medium coupled to the processor, and an attachment interface coupled to the processor, where the attachment interface is for accessing a secondary boot medium for the computer system. The boot medium is for initiating a boot sequence of the computer system, and contains at least a read-only memory containing a minimal operating system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.