Patent · US Active

Hardware security module access management in a cloud computing environment

US9836308B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by

5References

11Claims

0Family size

Assignee

International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

Volker Boenisch · Eppelheim, DE
Reinhard T. Buendgen · Lörrach, DE
Franziska Geisert · Altdorf, DE
Jakob C. Lang · Altdorf, DE
Mareike Lattermann · Stuttgart, DE
Angel Nunez Mencias · Stuttgart, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Mar 28, 2036

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG06F2009/45587
WIPO fieldComputer technology
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Trusted firmware on a host server is used for managing access to a hardware security module (HSM) connected to the host server. The HSM stores confidential information associated with an operating system. As part of access management, the firmware detects a boot device identifier associated with a boot device configured to boot the operating system on the host server. The firmware then receives a second boot device identifier from the HSM. The boot device identifier and the second boot device identifier are then compared by the firmware. Based on the comparison, the firmware determines that the boot device identifier matches with the second boot device identifier. Based on this determination, the firmware grants the operating system access to the HSM.

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