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Securely loading uefi images at runtime

a security and runtime technology, applied in the field of secure loading of uefi images at runtime, can solve the problems of dxe module failing the pei verification process, unable to load, and the entire platform firmware, and achieve the effect of secure loading

Active Publication Date: 2020-08-06
DELL PROD LP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Enables the secure loading of UEFI images at runtime without the need to reflash the entire platform firmware, ensuring that added or updated UEFI images pass Secure Boot verification, thus streamlining the process of adding or updating DXE modules.

Problems solved by technology

This requirement to flash the entire platform firmware whenever a Secure Boot key is added to the Secure Boot databases is cumbersome.
However, if the platform firmware is not updated to include the Secure Boot key corresponding to an added DXE module, the DXE module will fail the PEI verification process and will not be loaded (i.e., the authorized database will not include the signature of the added DXE module).

Method used

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  • Securely loading uefi images at runtime
  • Securely loading uefi images at runtime
  • Securely loading uefi images at runtime

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0022]In this specification and the claims, the term platform firmware should be construed as the firmware on a computing device that includes the UEFI Secure Boot databases. The term UEFI image should be construed in accordance with its definition in the UEFI specification and therefore includes UEFI applications, UEFI OS loaders and UEFI drivers. The term DXE module should be construed as a type of UEFI image that is executed during the DXE phase.

[0023]In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a DXE module (or another type of UEFI module) can be added or updated on a computing device without requiring the platform firmware to be reflashed while also ensuring that the DXE module will be successfully verified as part of the Secure Boot process. FIG. 2 illustrates components that can be employed to accomplish this.

[0024]Similar to what is shown in FIG. 1A, when the present invention is implemented, computing device 100 will include CPU 101 that stores the OEM's public ...

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Abstract

UEFI images can be securely loaded at runtime so that it is unnecessary to flash the entire platform firmware whenever a UEFI image is added or updated. The platform firmware can include an OEM file list that maps file GUIDs to public keys. When it is desired to add a UEFI image, the OEM can employ one of the file GUIDs in the OEM file list and a private key corresponding to the mapped public key to create the UEFI image. During the PEI phase of the boot process, a verification module in the platform firmware can verify any added UEFI image using the OEM file list. Additionally, to ensure that the added UEFI images will pass the subsequent Secure Boot verification, a sync module can add custom Secure Boot keys for the added UEFI images to the Secure Boot databases during the DXE phase of the boot process.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]N / ABACKGROUND[0002]The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) specification defines a boot process that is divided into three general phases: (1) a security phase (SEC); (2) a pre-EFI initialization phase (PEI); and (3) a driver execution environment phase (DXE). SEC performs minimal processing to initialize the CPU and prepare the system for PEI including verifying the platform firmware. PEI then configures the entire platform and loads the DXE. Finally, DXE loads drivers, mounts drives and executes the OS bootloader to eventually transfer control to the OS.[0003]FIG. 1A provides a generalized overview of the components that are involved in the UEFI integrity verification process when a computing device 100 boots. As shown, computing device 100 includes a CPU 101, flash memory 102 which stores platform firmware 105 and storage 103 (e.g., a hard disk or Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) flash that includes a UEFI firmware volume) th...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G06F21/57G06F16/901G06F9/4401
CPCG06F16/901G06F9/4411G06F21/572G06F21/575G06F8/654
Inventor VIDYADHARA, SUMANTHJOSHI, ANAND PRAKASH
Owner DELL PROD LP
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