IP Library › Granted Patent US 12676852
Granted Patent B2
US 12676852 · App. 18/663,192 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Systems and methods for firmware password management

Inventors: Rocco Demasi (Nanuet, NY); Jason M. Iannelli (Township of Washington, NJ); Ronald L. Bland (Woodstock, GA); Michael McGuinness (Hilliard, OH); Lori L. Crimmins (Holly, MI); Michael L. Bowman (London, OH); Daniel J. Pfennig (Brockport, NY); Kevin R. Garrison (Wesley Chapel, FL)
Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
H04L63/0846G06F21/572H04L63/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12676852
App. No.
18/663,192
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

One or more computing devices, systems, and/or methods for managing a firmware password of a User Equipment (UE) are provided. In an example, the UE determines that a first firmware password variable is indicative of a firmware password of a firmware of the UE. The UE transmits the first firmware password variable to a first computer for storage in a first dataset. The UE generates a password. The UE sets a second firmware password variable, in a second dataset stored on the UE, to the password. The UE transmits the second firmware password variable including the password to the first computer for storage in the first dataset. The UE sets the firmware password of the firmware of the UE to the second firmware password variable including the password.

Claims (71)

1 . A system, comprising:

a User Equipment (UE) configured to initiate a firmware password rotation process, wherein during the firmware password rotation process, the UE is configured to:

in response to a determination that a first firmware password variable is indicative of a firmware password of a firmware of the UE, perform a first transmission of the first firmware password variable to a middle tier computer;

generate a password;

set a second firmware password variable, in a first dataset stored on the UE, to the password;

perform a second transmission of the second firmware password variable, comprising the password, to the middle tier computer; and

set the firmware password of the firmware of the UE to the second firmware password variable comprising the password;

the middle tier computer configured to:

in response to receiving the first firmware password variable via the first transmission, perform a third transmission of the first firmware password variable to a password management computer; and

in response to receiving the second firmware password variable via the second transmission, perform a fourth transmission of the second firmware password variable to the password management computer; and

the password management computer configured to:

in response to receiving the first firmware password variable via the third transmission, store the first firmware password variable in a second dataset stored on the password management computer; and

in response to receiving the second firmware password variable via the fourth transmission, store the second firmware password variable in the second dataset.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the middle tier computer is configured to:

receive a first request to provide a second UE with access to the firmware password of the firmware of the UE;

in response to receiving the first request, transmit a second request, for the firmware password, to the password management computer;

in response to transmitting the second request, receive the firmware password from the password management computer; and

in response to receiving the firmware password, transmit the firmware password to at least one of a firmware password retrieval application or the second UE.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:

the password management computer is configured to determine a firmware password rotation time based upon at least one of a time of transmission of the first request, a time of transmission of the second request, a time of transmission of the firmware password to the middle tier computer, or a time of transmission of the firmware password to at least one of the firmware password retrieval application or the second UE; and

the UE is configured to initiate the firmware password rotation process based upon a current time being the same as or after the firmware password rotation time.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the UE is configured to generate the password to be a random password.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein after initiating the firmware password rotation process and prior to performing the first transmission, the UE is configured to determine the first firmware password variable by:

analyzing the first dataset to determine whether the first firmware password variable is stored in the first dataset; and

in response to a determination that an indication of the first firmware password variable is stored in the first dataset, determining the first firmware password variable based upon the indication.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein after initiating the firmware password rotation process and prior to performing the first transmission, the UE is configured to:

determine that the first firmware password variable is at least one of not available or is not the firmware password of the firmware of the UE;

determine that the second firmware password variable is the firmware password of the firmware of the UE; and

in response to the determination that the second firmware password variable is the firmware password of the firmware of the UE, set the first firmware password variable, in the first dataset stored on the UE, to the second firmware password variable, wherein the determination that the first firmware password variable is indicative of the firmware password of the firmware of the UE corresponds to the determination that the second firmware password variable is the firmware password of the firmware of the UE.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein after initiating the firmware password rotation process and prior to performing the first transmission, the UE is configured to:

determine that at least one of:

the first firmware password variable is at least one of not available or is not the firmware password of the firmware of the UE; or

the second firmware password variable is at least one of not available or is not the firmware password of the firmware of the UE;

determine that a default firmware password is the firmware password of the firmware of the UE; and

in response to the determination that the default firmware password is the firmware password of the firmware of the UE, set the first firmware password variable, in the first dataset stored on the UE, to a value indicative of the default firmware password, wherein the determination that the first firmware password variable is indicative of the firmware password of the firmware of the UE corresponds to the determination that the default firmware password is the firmware password of the firmware of the UE.

8 . A system, comprising:

a User Equipment (UE) configured to initiate a firmware password rotation process, wherein during the firmware password rotation process, the UE is configured to:

in response to a determination that a first firmware password variable is indicative of a firmware password of a firmware of the UE, perform a first transmission of the first firmware password variable to a middle tier computer;

generate a password;

set a second firmware password variable, in a first dataset stored on the UE, to the password;

perform a second transmission of the second firmware password variable, comprising the password, to the middle tier computer; and

set the firmware password of the firmware of the UE to the second firmware password variable comprising the password.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the middle tier computer is configured to:

in response to receiving the first firmware password variable via the first transmission, perform a third transmission of the first firmware password variable to a password management computer.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the password management computer is configured to:

in response to receiving the first firmware password variable via the third transmission, store the first firmware password variable in a second dataset stored on the password management computer.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the middle tier computer is configured to:

in response to receiving the second firmware password variable via the second transmission, perform a fourth transmission of the second firmware password variable to a password management computer.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the password management computer is configured to:

in response to receiving the second firmware password variable via the fourth transmission, store the second firmware password variable in a second dataset.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the middle tier computer is configured to:

receive a first request to provide a second UE with access to the firmware password of the firmware of the UE;

in response to receiving the first request, transmit a second request, for the firmware password, to a password management computer;

in response to transmitting the second request, receive the firmware password from the password management computer; and

in response to receiving the firmware password, transmit the firmware password to at least one of a firmware password retrieval application or the second UE.

14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the UE is configured to generate the password to be a random password.

15 . A system, comprising:

a middle tier computer configured to:

in response to receiving a first firmware password variable via a first transmission from a User Equipment (UE), perform a third transmission of the first firmware password variable to a password management computer, wherein the first firmware password variable is indicative of a firmware password of a firmware of the UE; and

in response to receiving a second firmware password variable, comprising a password, via a second transmission from the UE, perform a fourth transmission of the second firmware password variable to the password management computer.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the password management computer is configured to:

in response to receiving the first firmware password variable via the third transmission, store the first firmware password variable in a dataset stored on the password management computer.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the password management computer is configured to:

in response to receiving the second firmware password variable via the fourth transmission, store the second firmware password variable in the dataset.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the middle tier computer is configured to:

receive a first request to provide a second UE with access to the firmware password of the firmware of the UE; and

in response to receiving the first request, transmit a second request, for the firmware password, to the password management computer.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the middle tier computer is configured to:

receive the firmware password from the password management computer.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the middle tier computer is configured to:

in response to receiving the firmware password, transmit the firmware password to at least one of a firmware password retrieval application or the second UE.