Basic input/output system read only memory image integration system and method

1. A method for integrating a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) Read-Only-Memory (ROM) image into a BIOS of an electronic device, comprising:

opening a BIOS modification application;

opening a target BIOS binary image of the electronic device within the BIOS modification application; and

adding an electronic security and tracking system and method (ESTSM) ROM image to the target BIOS binary image,

wherein integrating the ESTSM ROM image into the BIOS of the electronic device configures the electronic device for having a non-viewable component, an application component connected to the non-viewable component and capable of executing within an operating system environment and of communicating with the non-viewable component, and a BIOS component connected to the non-viewable component, wherein the BIOS component is configured to determine whether the non-viewable component is present and whether the non-viewable component has been tampered with, wherein the BIOS component is configured to check integrity of the application component during a boot process for the electronic device, wherein the BIOS component is configured to automatically cause the electronic device to restore the integrity of the application component in response to a negative integrity check of the application component, wherein the application component is substantially distinct from the BIOS component and the non-viewable component, and wherein the non-viewable component is configured to determine whether the application component is present and whether the application component has been tampered with.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

expanding an option ROM node within the BIOS modification application; and

determining if an option ROM image is present under the option ROM node and if there is space in the target BIOS binary image for an ESTSM ROM image.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

expanding an option ROM node within the BIOS modification application; and

determining if there are no option ROM images present under the option ROM node.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is operable to support the operating system environment and operable to communicate with a server system, wherein the application component is configured to cause the electronic device to send, to the server system, a message that contains information of a location of the electronic device, and wherein the application component is configured to determine whether the electronic device has been reported stolen, based on information received from the server system.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-viewable component includes a validator module capable of determining whether the application component is present and whether the application component has been tampered with.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the BIOS component is configured to prevent the electronic device from booting to an operating system of the electronic device, in response to receiving notification that the electronic device has been reported stolen.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application component is configured to notify the BIOS component that the electronic device has been reported stolen, in response to determining that the electronic device has been reported stolen.

8. A system comprising:

a non-viewable component;

an application component connected to the non-viewable component, said application component capable of communicating with the non-viewable component, wherein said application component executes within an operating system environment; and

a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) component connected to the non-viewable component,

wherein the BIOS component is configured to determine whether the non-viewable component is present and whether the non-viewable component has been tampered with,

wherein the BIOS component is configured to check integrity of the application component during a boot process for an electronic device,

wherein the BIOS component is configured to automatically cause the electronic device to restore the integrity of the application component, in response to a negative integrity check of the application component,

wherein the application component is substantially distinct from the BIOS component and the non-viewable component,

wherein the non-viewable component is configured to determine whether the application component is present and whether the application component has been tampered with, and

wherein the BIOS component is capable of being integrated into a target BIOS binary image of the electronic device by operations including:

opening a BIOS modification application,

opening a target BIOS binary image of the electronic device within the BIOS modification application, and

adding an electronic security and tracking system and method (ESTSM) Read-Only-Memory (ROM) image to the target BIOS binary image.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further include:

expanding an option ROM node within the BIOS modification application, and

determining if an option ROM image is present under the option ROM node and if there is space in the target BIOS binary image for an ESTSM ROM image.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further include:

expanding an option ROM node within the BIOS modification application, and

determining if there are no option ROM images present under the option ROM node.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the electronic device is operable to support the operating system environment and operable to communicate with a server system, wherein the application component is configured to cause the electronic device to send, to the server system, a message that contains information of a location of the electronic device, and wherein the application component is configured to determine whether the electronic device has been reported stolen, based on information received from the server system.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the non-viewable component includes a validator module capable of determining whether the application component is present and whether the application component has been tampered with.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the BIOS component is configured to prevent the electronic device from booting to an operating system of the electronic device, in response to receiving notification that the electronic device has been reported stolen.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the application component is configured to notify the BIOS component that the electronic device has been reported stolen, in response to determining that the electronic device has been reported stolen.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium that provides instructions for integrating a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) Read-Only-Memory (ROM) image into a BIOS of an electronic device, which instructions, when executed by a computer system, cause said computer system to perform operations comprising:

opening a BIOS modification application;

opening a target BIOS binary image of an electronic device within the BIOS modification application; and

adding an electronic security and tracking system and method (ESTSM) ROM image to the target BIOS binary image,

wherein said computer system includes:

a memory, and

a processor,

wherein integrating the ESTSM ROM image into the BIOS of the electronic device configures the electronic device for having a non-viewable component, an application component that is connected to the non-viewable component, that is capable of communicating with the non-viewable component, and that executes within an operating system environment, and a BIOS component connected to the non-viewable component,

wherein the BIOS component is configured to determine whether the non-viewable component is present and whether the non-viewable component has been tampered with,

wherein the BIOS component is configured to check integrity of the application component during a boot process for the electronic device,

wherein the BIOS component is configured to automatically cause the electronic device to restore the integrity of the application component, in response to a negative integrity check of the application component,

wherein the application component is substantially distinct from the BIOS component and the non-viewable component, and

wherein the non-viewable component is configured to determine whether the application component is present and whether the application component has been tampered with.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further include:

expanding an option ROM node within the BIOS modification application; and

determining if an option ROM image is present under the option ROM node and if there is space in the target BIOS binary image for an ESTSM ROM image.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further include:

expanding an option ROM node within the BIOS modification application; and

determining if there are no option ROM images present under the option ROM node.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the electronic device is operable to support the operating system environment and operable to communicate with a server system, wherein the application component is configured to cause the electronic device to send, to the server system, a message that contains information of a location of the electronic device, and wherein the application component is configured to determine whether the electronic device has been reported stolen, based on information received from the server system.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the non-viewable component includes a validator module capable of determining whether the application component is present and whether the application component has been tampered with.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the BIOS component is configured to prevent the electronic device from booting to an operating system of the electronic device, in response to receiving notification that the electronic device has been reported stolen.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the application component is configured to notify the BIOS component that the electronic device has been reported stolen, in response to determining that the electronic device has been reported stolen.