Enhancing security of a system via access by an embedded controller to a secure storage device
US7917741B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 10, 2007 |
| Grant date | Mar 29, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 26, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F21/575
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
System and method for performing pre-boot security verification in a system that includes a host processor and memory, an embedded microcontroller with an auxiliary memory, e.g., an on-chip ROM, or memory controlled to prohibit user-tampering with the contents of the memory, and one or more pre-boot security components coupled to the embedded microcontroller. Upon power-up, but before host processor boot-up, the embedded microcontroller accesses the auxiliary memory and executes the program instructions to verify system security using the one or more pre-boot security components. The one or more pre-boot security components includes at least one identity verification component, e.g., a smart card, or a biometric sensor, e.g., a fingerprint sensor, a retinal scanner, and/or a voiceprint sensor, etc., and/or at least one system verification component, e.g., TPM, to query the system for system state information, and verify that the system has not been compromised.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.