Modified secure boot technique using pre-loaded expected tag image

An apparatus for image authentication for secure boot, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one memory;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured to:
• obtain an expected tag image comprising an expected tag corresponding to an image to be loaded into memory;
• load, by a memory controller, the expected tag into a first memory region corresponding to a hardware memory authenticator;
• load, by the memory controller, the image into a second memory region;
• provide an authentication indication to the hardware memory authenticator, wherein the authentication indication triggers the hardware memory authenticator to authenticate the image;
• read a portion of the image from the second memory region;
• generate, at the hardware memory authenticator, an authentication tag corresponding to the portion of the image;
• and
• perform a comparison of the authentication tag and the expected tag to obtain an authentication result, wherein, the authentication result is a successful match, and the portion of the image is authenticated.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

• obtain an expected tag image comprising an expected tag corresponding to an image to be loaded into memory;
• load, by a memory controller, the expected tag into a first memory region corresponding to a hardware memory authenticator;
• load, by the memory controller, the image into a second memory region;
• provide an authentication indication to the hardware memory authenticator, wherein the authentication indication triggers the hardware memory authenticator to authenticate the image;
• read a portion of the image from the second memory region;
• generate, at the hardware memory authenticator, an authentication tag corresponding to the portion of the image;
• and
• perform a comparison of the authentication tag and the expected tag to obtain an authentication result, wherein, the authentication result is a successful match, and the portion of the image is authenticated.