NFC-enhanced firmware security

1. A computer-implemented method for accessing a near field communication (NFC) equipped server computer, the method comprising:

reading a login key at the NFC-equipped server computer from an NFC-equipped mobile device via NFC, wherein the login key indicates access rights and is generated at an authorization server in response to a user login request at the NFC-equipped mobile device;

determining whether the login key read from the NFC-equipped mobile device indicates that a user is to be provided first rights or second rights to a setup menu provided by a firmware executing in the NFC-equipped server computer;

providing access to the firmware-provided setup menu with first rights if the login key indicates that the user is to be provided the first rights; and

providing access to the firmware-provided setup menu with second rights if the login key indicates that the user is to be provided the second rights.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first rights comprise administrator rights and wherein the second rights comprise non-administrator user rights.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authorization server is other-than the NFC-equipped server computer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the login key further specifies an operating system that is to be booted by the NFC-equipped server computer.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

identifying, based on the login key, the operating system that is to be booted by the NFC-equipped server computer; and

causing the NFC-equipped server computer to boot the operating system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the login key further indicates that the user is not permitted to access the firmware-provided setup menu.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining that the login key indicates that the user is not permitted to access the firmware-provided setup menu; and

restricting access to the firmware-provided setup menu.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereupon that are executable by the processor and which, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to

receive a first request to access a near field communication (NFC)-equipped server computer,

in response to receiving the first request, transmit an authorization request from the apparatus to an authorization server, the authorization request comprising a second request to access the NFC-equipped server computer,

receive from the authorization server in response to the second request a login key for use in accessing the NFC-equipped server computer, wherein the login key indicates access rights and originates from the authorization server, and

provide the login key to the NFC-equipped server computer via NFC, whereby the NFC-equipped server computer is configured to determine, using the login key, the access rights to the NFC-equipped server computer.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the authorization request specifies user credentials for a user of the apparatus making the request to access the NFC-equipped server computer.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the login key specifies that the user is to have first access rights to a firmware-provided setup menu provided by a firmware of the NFC-equipped server computer.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first access rights comprise administrator access rights or non-administrator user access rights.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the authorization server is distinct from the NFC-equipped server computer.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the login key further specifies an operating system that is to be booted by the NFC-equipped server computer.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a first request to access a near field communication (NFC)-equipped server computer;

in response to receiving the first request, transmit an authorization request to an authorization server, the authorization request comprising a second request to access the NFC-equipped server computer, wherein the authorization server is separate from the NFC-equipped server computer;

receive from the authorization server in response to the second request a login key for use in accessing the NFC-equipped server computer, wherein the login key indicates access rights and originates from the authorization server; and

provide the login key from the apparatus to the NFC-equipped server computer via NFC.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the NFC-equipped server computer is configured to determine, using the login key, access rights to the NFC-equipped server computer.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the authorization request specifies user credentials for a user of the apparatus making the request to access the NFC-equipped server computer.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the login key specifies that a user is to have first access rights to a setup menu provided by a firmware of the NFC-equipped server computer.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the first access rights comprise administrator access rights.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the first access rights comprise non-administrator user access rights.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the login key further specifies an operating system that is that to be booted by NFC-equipped server computer.