Dynamic Root of Trust Measurement for Hypervisor Security

The patent introduces a measurement session manager and hash validation mechanism as an intermediary between the vendor boot software and third-party operating system. This intermediary verifies the integrity of the boot process by comparing stored hash values with computed hash values, ensuring that the root of trust is maintained even when third-party software is loaded. The intermediary component bridges the trust gap by providing cryptographic verification without preventing OS compatibility.

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-computing and storing hash values of the core root of trust measurement code and system management code in secure registers during the manufacturing or initial setup phase. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid validation during the boot process without adding significant complexity, as the verification logic simply compares pre-prepared reference values with newly computed values, streamlining the security verification process.

The patent maintains continuity of useful action by integrating the root of trust measurement and validation processes seamlessly into the existing boot sequence. Rather than adding separate, time-consuming security checks, the measurement session manager operates continuously throughout the boot process, measuring and validating code as it is loaded and executed. This continuous approach ensures hypervisor security without requiring additional boot time, as the security verification is performed concurrently with normal system initialization.