System and method for supporting secure subsystems in a client hosted virtualization system

A method of pre-boot authentication in a client hosted virtualization system (CHVS), comprising:

• storing, by a processor of the CHVS, first code in a non-volatile memory of the CHVS to implement a basic input/output system to initialize the CHVS;
• storing, by the processor, second code in the non-volatile memory;
• determining, by the processor, to execute the first code to the exclusion of the second code;
• in response to determining to execute the first code, executing, by the processor, the first code;
• determining, by the processor, to execute the second code to the exclusion of the first code;
• and
• in response to determining to execute the second code, executing, by the processor, the second code, wherein executing the second code comprises:
• initializing the CHVS;
• authenticating a first virtual machine image associated with a first virtual machine;
• launching a first portion of the first virtual machine on the CHVS based on the first virtual machine image;
• initiating from the first portion of the first virtual machine a first authentication session with an authentication device of the CHVS;
• receiving an authentication object from the authentication device in response to initiating the first authentication session;
• sending the authentication object to the first portion of the first virtual machine;
• and
• launching a second portion of the first virtual machine.

A method of validating a resource in a client hosted virtualization system (CHVS), comprising:

• storing, by a processor of the CHVS, first code in a non-volatile memory of the CHVS to implement a basic input/output system for the CHVS;
• storing, by the processor, second code in the non-volatile memory;
• determining, by the processor, to execute the second code to the exclusion of the first code;
• and
• in response to determining to execute the second code, executing, by the processor, the second code, wherein executing the second code comprises:
• initializing the CHVS;
• authenticating a first virtual machine image associated with a first virtual machine, wherein the first virtual machine includes an operating system and an application;
• launching the first virtual machine on the CHVS based on the first virtual machine image;
• receiving a first request to validate a resource from the first virtual machine;
• sending the first request to a trusted platform module of the CHVS;
• receiving a response from the trusted platform module in response to sending the first request to the trusted platform module;
• and
• sending the response to the first virtual machine from the security device.