Technologies for performing a secure firmware update include a compute device that includes a memory device to store firmware update payload, one or more devices that have direct memory access (DMA) to the memory, a DMA remap module, and a firmware update module. The DMA remap module is to create a memory isolation domain for each of the one or more devices. Each memory isolation domain comprises a physical address space in the memory that is mutually exclusive to the physical address spaces of the other memory isolation domains. The firmware update module is to (i) analyze the firmware update payload to identify one or more of the devices associated with the firmware update payload and (ii) move the firmware update payload to the memory isolation domains of each associated device to enable secure transmission of the firmware update payload to the associated devices.

Technologies for securing a firmware update

A secure engine method includes providing an embedded microcontroller in an embedded device, the embedded microcontroller having internal memory. The method also includes providing a secure environment in the internal memory. The secure environment method recognizes a boot sequence and restricts user-level access to the secure environment by taking control over the secure environment memory. Taking such control may include disabling DMA controllers, configuring at least one memory controller for access to the secure environment, preventing the execution of instructions fetched from outside the secure environment, and only permitting execution of instructions fetched from within the secure environment. Secure engine program instructions are then executed to disable interrupts, perform at least one secure operation, and re-enable interrupts after performing the at least one secure operation. Control over the secure environment memory is released, which can include clearing memory, re-enabling DMA controllers, and restoring memory controller parameters.

Secure environment in a non-secure microcontroller

An apparatus for automatically pre-configuring a hardware portion of a device before the device is set into a full operation mode has a processor. The processor performs:
 obtaining a set of parameters for pre-configuring the hardware portion of the device, the set of parameters defining a status of the device; and providing the set of parameters to the device for automatically pre-configuring the hardware portion of the device.

Apparatus and method

A secured storage system includes a non-volatile memory and a controller. The non-volatile memory is configured to store a first data item and a respective first version identifier assigned to the first data item. The controller is configured to receive a second data item accompanied by a second version identifier and a signature, for replacing the first data item in the non-volatile memory, to authenticate at least the second version identifier using the signature, to make a comparison between the stored first version identifier and the second version identifier, and to replace the first data item with the second data item only in response to verifying that (i) the second version identifier is authenticated successfully, and (ii) the second data item is more recent than the first data item, as indicated by the comparison between the stored first version identifier and the authenticated second version identifier.

Anti-rollback version upgrade in secured memory chip

Systems and methods for failsafe firmware upgrades in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment includes a vehicle telematics device, including: a processor; and a firmware memory comprising a firmware image coupled to the processor, wherein the firmware image further comprise a first segment and a second segment; wherein a primary bootloader application located in the firmware image: verifies the integrity of the first segment; verifies the integrity of the second segment; selects a firmware image contained in the firmware memory using a failsafe process; and—boots the vehicle telematics device using the selected firmware image.

Systems and methods for failsafe firmware upgrades

A mechanism is described for facilitating dynamic capsule generation and recovery in computing environments according to one embodiment. A method of embodiments, as described herein, includes accessing a current firmware and a capsule driver binary file (“capsule file”) from a storage device, and merging the current firmware with the capsule file and a capsule header into a capsule payload. The method may further include assigning a security protocol to the capsule payload to ensure a secured capsule payload, and storing the secured capsule payload at the storage device for subsequent updates.

Dynamic capsule generation and recovery in computing environments

A computing device that implements a secure and transparent firmware update process is provided. The computing device includes a secure memory area and a secure device that separately executes firmware updates in parallel with other processes executed by a CPU. The secure memory area may be allocated by the CPU and/or a memory controller using any of a variety of memory protection techniques. System software executed by the CPU receives update firmware requests from a trusted source, stores a firmware payload included in these requests in the secure memory area, and executes the next scheduled process. Firmware executed by the secure device retrieves the firmware payload from the secure memory area, authenticates the firmware payload, and applies the firmware payload to a firmware storage device. The secure device performs these acts transparently from the point of view of the CPU, these avoiding consumption of resources of the CPU.

Secure firmware devices and methods

Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with provision of power management data packages are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an apparatus may include one or more processors, memory to store a power management data package having a first plurality of descriptions of always present fixed platform devices and a second plurality of descriptions of potentially present variable platform devices; and firmware coupled with the one or more processors and memory to provide basic input/output services to an operating system operated by the one or more processors, wherein the operating system has an operational requirement for the power management data package. The basic input/output services may include a service to modify the power management data package to bring the power management data package into compliance with the operational requirement of the operating system. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Krishnakumar Narasimhan

Papers

Technologies for securing a firmware update

Dynamic capsule generation and recovery in computing environments

Secure firmware devices and methods

Power management data package provision method and apparatus