Patent · US Active

Computer system comprising a secure boot mechanism on the basis of symmetric key encryption

US8464037B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by

18References

21Claims

0Family size

Assignee

GlobalFoundries Inc. · KY

Inventors

Michael Grell · Dresden, DE
Ralf Findeisen · Dresden, DE
Frank Schuecke · Dresden, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Jan 19, 2009
Grant date	Jun 11, 2013
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jan 8, 2032

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG06F21/575
WIPO fieldComputer technology
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A CPU, a computer system and a secure boot mechanism are provided in which a symmetric encryption key may be incorporated into a non-volatile memory area of the CPU core, thereby substantially avoiding any tampering of the encryption key by external sources. Moreover, pre-boot information may be internally stored in the CPU and may be retrieved upon a reset or power-on event in order to verify a signed boot information on the basis of the internal symmetric encryption key. Furthermore, the BIOS information may be efficiently updated by generating a signature using the internal encryption key.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.