Secure system for remote management and wake-up commands

An apparatus for signaling management circuits in a host computer in response to messages received through a network interface, the apparatus comprising:

• detection logic coupled to the network interface to detect a received network packet, the network packet including a message from a source to the management circuits in the host computer, the message including a message authentication code comprising a message digest;
• and
• security logic coupled to the network interface that is responsive to data in the packet, the security logic:
• authenticates the source of the message;
• verifies the message digest;
• and
• accepts the message and generates a signal to the management circuits in the host computer when the message passes authentication and when the message digest is verified.

An apparatus for signaling management circuits in a host computer in response to messages received through a network interface, the apparatus comprising:

• detection logic coupled to the network interface to detect a received network packet, the network packet including a message from a source to the management circuits in the host computer, wherein the message includes a message authentication code and information to indicate re-use of the message;
• and
• security logic that is responsive to data in the packet, the security logic:
• authenticates the source of the message;
• accepts the message;
• detects re-use of the message;
• and
• generates a signal to the management circuits in the host computer when the message passes authentication and has not been re-used.

An apparatus for signaling management circuits in a host computer in response to a message received through a network interface, the message including a message authentication code and a re-use token, the apparatus comprising:

• logic coupled to the network interface to detect a received network packet carrying the message from a source to the management circuits in the host computer, the logic being operable while the host computer is in a reduced function state, the logic including security logic that:
• authenticates the source of the message in response to data in the packet;
• detects re-use of the message in response to the re-use token;
• and
• accepts the message and generate a signal to the management circuit in the host computer when the message passes authentication and has not been re-used;
• wherein the re-use token comprises a timestamp and a random or pseudo-random value;
• wherein the apparatus includes a memory to store tokens of received messages, and
• wherein the security logic detects re-use by comparing stored timestamps with the timestamp of the message being authenticated to verify that the timestamp of the message being authenticated is more recent than a baseline time, and does not match both a timestamp and random or pseudo-random value in the memory.

A method for signaling management circuits in an end station from a management station via a network, the method comprising:

• transmitting a management message to the end station, the management message including a message authentication code and a timestamp;
• verifying the authentication code;
• verifying the timestamp;
• and
• generating a signal to the management circuits in the end station when both the authentication code and the timestamp are verified.

A method for signaling management circuits in an end station, the method comprising:

• receiving a management message at the end station, the management message including a message authentication code, the message authentication code comprising a message digest;
• verifying the authentication code;
• verifying the message digest;
• and
• generating a signal to the management circuits in the end station when both the authentication code and the message digest are verified.