System and method to secure FPGA card debug ports

1. A method for securing access to an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) card debug port by a remote access controller, the method comprising:

determining a status of the FPGA card debug port via a query to a management controller of the FPGA card;

detecting a coupling of a device to the debug port;

generating a passcode for the debug port, wherein the passcode is generated by hashing a serial number of the FPGA card concatenated with a service tag of the IHS (Information Handling System) in which the FPGA card is installed;

disabling the debug port via a message to the management controller;

detecting a request for access to the debug port by a requestor, wherein the request includes a requestor password;

providing the requestor access to the debug port, if the requestor password matches the generated passcode; and

disabling the debug port upon the next power cycle of the FPGA card.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the management controller communicates with a service processor of the remote access controller via a sideband management bus.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the service processor limits access to the generated passcode to authenticated administrators with access to the remote access controller.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the passcode is generated based on inputs provided via a user interface of the remote access controller.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, upon enabling of the debug port, the debug port is disabled upon detecting de-coupling of a device from the debug port.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the management controller detects the de-coupling of the device from the debug port and reports the disabling of the debug port to the remote access controller.

7. A system for securing access to a debug port of an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) card installed in an Information Handling System (IHS), the system comprising:

a remote access controller configured to monitor operations of the IHS, the remote access controller configured to:

issue a query to a management controller of the FPGA card to determine a status of the FPGA card debug port;

generate a passcode for the debug port, wherein the passcode is generated by hashing a serial number of the FPGA card concatenated with a service tag of the IHS;

disable the debug port via a message to the management controller;

receive a request for access to the debug port, wherein the request includes a requestor password;

authorize access to the debug port by the requestor, if the requestor password matches the generated passcode; and

disable the debug port upon the next power cycle of the FPGA card; and

the management controller configured to:

determine the status of the debug port in response to the query from the remote access controller;

detect the coupling of a device to the debug port;

receive a request from the device for the requestor to access the debug port, wherein the request includes the requestor password; and

enable the debug port upon the authorization of the remote access controller.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the management controller communicates with a service processor of the remote access controller via a sideband management bus.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the service processor limits access to the generated passcode to authenticated administrators with access to the remote access controller.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the passcode is generated based on inputs provided via a user interface of the remote access controller.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein, upon enabling of the debug port, the debug port is disabled upon detecting de-coupling of a device from the debug port.

12. The system of claim 5 , wherein the management controller detects the de-coupling of the device from the debug port and reports the disabling of the debug port to the remote access controller.

13. A remote access controller configured for securing access to an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) card debug port, the remote access controller configured to:

determine a status of the FPGA card debug port via a query to a management controller of the FPGA card;

detect a coupling of a device to the debug port;

generate a passcode for the debug port, wherein the passcode is generated by hashing a serial number of the FPGA card concatenated with a service tag of the IHS (Information Handling System) in which the FPGA card is installed;

disable the debug port via a message to the management controller;

detect a request for access to the debug port by a requestor, wherein the request includes a requestor password;

provide the requestor access to the debug port if the requestor password matches the generated passcode; and

disable the debug port upon the next power cycle of the FPGA card.

14. The remote access controller of claim 13 , wherein the management controller communicates with a service processor of the remote access controller via a sideband management bus.

15. The remote access controller of claim 14 , wherein the service processor limits access to the generated passcode to authenticated administrators with access to the remote access controller.

16. The remote access controller of claim 13 , wherein the passcode is generated based on inputs provided via a user interface of the remote access controller.

17. The remote access controller of claim 13 , wherein, upon enabling of the debug port, the debug port is disabled upon detecting de-coupling of a device from the debug port.