IP Library Granted Patent US 11,494,495
Granted Patent B2
US 11,494,495 · App. 16/881,250 · Granted Nov 8, 2022

System and method for firmware image integrity verification

Inventors: Balasingh Samuel (Round Rock, TX); Ricardo L. Martinez (Leander, TX); Anand Joshi (Round Rock, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F21/572G06F8/654G06F21/602
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,494,495
App. No.
16/881,250
Granted
Nov 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information handling system stores a hash values for firmware components for the information handling system. A processor receives an off-host image verification request from a second information handling system. In response to the off-host image verification request, the processor reads first metadata for a next firmware component, provides the first metadata to the second information handling system, and receives a golden hash value from the second information handling system. In response to the first hash value not matching the golden hash value, the processor applies a mitigation policy. In response to the first hash value matching the golden hash value, the processor provides a device verification signal.

Claims (61)

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a memory to store a plurality of hash values for a plurality of firmware components for the information handling system, wherein a different one of the hash values corresponds to a different one of the firmware components; and

a processor to:

receive, from a second information handling system, an off-host image verification request;

in response to the off-host image verification request, read first metadata for a next firmware component;

provide the first metadata for the next firmware component to the second information handling system;

receive a golden hash value from the second information handling system, wherein the golden hash value is based on the first metadata for the next firmware component in the second information handling system;

retrieve a first hash value from the memory based on the first metadata for the next firmware component;

determine whether the first hash value matches the golden hash value;

in response to the first hash value not matching the golden hash value, apply a mitigation policy; and

in response to the first hash value matching the golden hash value, provide a device verification signal.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the processor further to:

receive, from an update server, a new firmware component;

generate a local hash value for the new firmware component based on second metadata of the new firmware component; and

store the local hash value in the memory, wherein the local hash value is associated with the second metadata.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 , wherein the storage of the local hash value in the memory includes the processor further to:

update a local system firmware volume data with the local hash value and the second metadata for the new firmware component.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the first metadata includes a system identifier, a payload version, and a payload identifier of the next firmware component.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , the application of the mitigation policy includes the processor further to:

trigger a new firmware update for the next firmware component of the information handling system.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , the application of the mitigation policy includes the processor further to:

recover to a previous firmware package version for the next firmware component of the information handling system.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the determination of whether the first hash value matches the golden hash value includes the processor further to:

compare, by a secure system management mode driver of the processor, the first hash value with the golden hash value.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein in response to the first hash value not matching the golden hash value, the processor further to send a security violation notification.

9. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the memory is a serial peripheral interface flash memory.

10. A method, comprising:

storing, in a memory, a plurality of hash values for a plurality of firmware components for an information handling system, wherein a different hash value of the hash values corresponds to a different firmware component of the firmware components;

receiving, by a processor of the information handling system, an off-host image verification request from a second information handling system;

in response to the off-host image verification request, reading first metadata for a next firmware component;

providing the first metadata for the next firmware component to the second information handling system;

receiving a golden hash value from the second information handling system, wherein the golden hash value is based on the first metadata for the next firmware component;

retrieving a first hash value from the memory based on the first metadata for the next firmware component;

if first hash value does not match the golden hash value, then applying a mitigation policy; and

else providing a device verification signal.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving, from an update server, a new firmware component;

generating a local hash value for the new firmware component based on second metadata of the new firmware component; and

storing the local hash value in the memory, wherein the local hash value is associated with the second metadata.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the storing of the local hash value in the memory further comprises:

updating a local system firmware volume data with the local hash value and the second metadata for the new firmware component.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first metadata includes a system identifier, a payload version, and a payload identifier of the next firmware component.

14. The method of claim 10 , the applying of the mitigation policy further comprises:

triggering a new firmware update for the next firmware component of the information handling system.

15. The method of claim 10 , the applying of the mitigation policy further comprises:

recovering to a previous firmware package version for the next firmware component of the information handling system.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the determining of whether the first hash value matches the golden hash value further comprises:

comparing, by a secure system management mode driver of the processor, the first hash value with the golden hash value.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

in response to the first hash value not matching the golden hash value, sending, by the processor a security violation notification.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including code that when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

providing an off-host image verification request to an information handling system;

receiving first metadata associated with a next firmware component;

generating a golden hash value based on the first metadata;

requesting a local hash value for the next firmware component;

receiving the local hash value from the information handling system;

if the local hash value does not match the golden hash value, then marking the information handling system as a non compliance device; and

if the local hash value does match the golden hash value, then marking the information handling system as an assured device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises:

in response to the local hash value not matching the golden hash value, sending a command to the information handling system to run a mitigation policy.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the first metadata includes a system identifier, a payload version, and a payload identifier of the next firmware component.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053574/0221) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060333/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053578/0183) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060332/0864 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053573/0535) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060333/0106 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 053531 FRAME 0108 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0371 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053578/0183 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053573/0535 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053574/0221 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 18, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 053531/0108 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2020
From: SAMUEL, BALASINGH; MARTINEZ, RICARDO L.; JOSHI, ANAND
To: DELL PRODUCTS, LP
Reel/Frame 052732/0807 →
Continuity (1)
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