Secure debugging functionality in the datacenter

Abstract

Improved techniques for remote access to a server's sensitive hardware debugging resources include a two-stage authentication of a remote debugger. The server's management controller may authenticate certificate data from the remote debugger and in response may bridge communications between the remote debugger and a debug port of the server's processor module. A security processor in the processor module may further authenticate the remote debugger by also authenticating certificate data provided by the remote debugger. After determining the remote debugger to be trustworthy, the security processor may enable the remote debugger to access hardware debugging resources within the hardware processor module.

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