US 2017/0249133 A1Published application

Secure live media boot system

AssigneeDell Products L.P.

InventorDirie N. Herzi

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Abstract

A secure live media boot system includes a BIOS that is coupled to a storage subsystem and a non-volatile memory system. The BIOS receives an operating system image. Prior to installing an operating system on a computing device using with the operating system image, the BIOS performs a first measurement action on the operating system image to produce a first operating system measurement that it stores in the non-volatile memory system. The BIOS also stores a read-only version of the operating system image on the storage subsystem. The BIOS subsequently receives a request to install the operating system on the computing device and, in response, performs a second measurement action on the operating system image in order to produce a second operating system measurement. If the BIOS determines that the second operating system measurement matches the first operating system measurement, the BIOS installs the operating system on the computing device.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A secure live media boot system, comprising:

a storage subsystem;
a non-volatile memory system;
and
a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) that is coupled to the storage subsystem and the non-volatile memory system, wherein the BIOS is configured to:
receive an operating system image;
perform a first measurement action on the operating system image prior to performing an installation of an operating system associated with the operating system image on a computing device that includes the BIOS, wherein the performance of the first measurement action produces a first operating system measurement;
store the first operating system image measurement in the non-volatile memory system;
store the operating system image as a read-only operating system image on the storage subsystem;
receive a request to install the operating system provided by the operating system image on the computing device subsequent to storing the first operating system image measurement in the non-volatile memory system and, in response, perform a second measurement action on the operating system image in order to produce a second operating system measurement;
and
determine that the second operating system measurement matches the first operating system measurement and, in response, perform an installation of the operating system associated with the operating system image on the computing device.

8 more elements

An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

a mass storage device;
a non-volatile memory subsystem;
an external device connector;
and
a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) that is coupled to the mass storage device, the non-volatile memory subsystem, and the external device connector, wherein the BIOS is configured to:
receive an operating system image from an external device that is coupled to the external device connector;
perform a first measurement action on the operating system image prior to performing an installation of an operating system associated with the operating system image to produce a first operating system measurement;
store the first operating system image measurement in the non-volatile memory subsystem;
store the operating system image as a read-only operating system image on the mass storage device;
receive a request to install the operating system provided by the operating system image subsequent to storing the first operating system image measurement in the non-volatile memory subsystem and, in response, perform a second measurement action on the operating system image in order to produce a second operating system measurement;
and
determine that the second operating system measurement matches the first operating system measurement and, in response, perform an installation of the operating system associated with the operating system image.

9 more elements

A method for providing secure live media booting, comprising:

receiving, by a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) through at least one external device connector, an operating system image;
performing, by the BIOS prior to performing an installation of an operating system associated with the operating system image on a computing device, a first measurement action on the operating system image to produce a first operating system measurement;
storing, by the BIOS in a non-volatile memory subsystem, the first operating system image measurement;
storing, by the BIOS on a storage subsystem, the operating system image as a read-only operating system image;
receiving, by the BIOS from an input device on the computing device subsequent to storing the first operating system image measurement in the non-volatile memory subsystem, a request to install the operating system provided by the operating system image and, in response, performing a second measurement action on the operating system image in order to produce a second operating system measurement;
and
determining, by the BIOS, that the second operating system measurement matches the first operating system measurement and, in response, performing an installation of the operating system associated with the operating system image on the computing device.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.