Firmware Component Origin Matching for Vulnerability Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to identify the origin of open-source software components in device firmware, particularly in computing devices, due to variations in assembly language and compiler configurations, leading to unresolved security vulnerabilities that can exploit enterprise networks.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a firmware disassembler, decompiler, and code neutralizer to convert firmware code into assembly and then source code, followed by neutralized code, which is compared to a code repository to identify the origin and potential vulnerabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If firmware code is directly analyzed without disassembly and decompilation, then analysis speed is fast, but identification accuracy of open-source components is poor due to assembly language variations and compiler configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the firmware analysis process into distinct stages: disassembly of binary firmware to assembly code, decompilation to source code, neutralization of compiler-specific variations, and comparison against a code repository. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, improving overall identification accuracy while managing analysis time through selective application of processing depth.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary disassembly and decompilation actions on firmware before vulnerability assessment. By pre-processing the firmware code into a standardized neutralized format and creating a searchable code repository in advance, the system enables faster subsequent matching and identification operations without sacrificing accuracy.
2Reliability
If firmware updates are provided frequently, then security vulnerabilities are resolved quickly, but device complexity and update management burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the system automatically identifies open-source components in firmware, compares them against a vulnerability database, and determines which components require updates. This automated self-assessment reduces the manual complexity of update management while maintaining high security reliability through continuous vulnerability scanning and identification.
3Measurement precision
If code neutralization and repository comparison are performed, then origin identification accuracy improves, but processing complexity and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and neutralizes only the essential identifying features from the firmware code, removing compiler-specific and architecture-specific variations. By extracting only the core functional code patterns that uniquely identify open-source components, the system achieves high origin identification accuracy while reducing processing complexity compared to analyzing entire codebases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the firmware code through parameter changes including disassembly from binary to assembly, decompilation to source code, and neutralization of variable parameters such as compiler flags and optimization levels. These parameter transformations standardize the code representation, enabling accurate comparison while managing processing complexity through systematic transformation rules.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable storage mediums are described for identifying an origin of a device firmware component. A firmware disassembler is configured to disassemble firmware code obtained from a device, such as a portable electronics device, to generate assembly code. A decompiler is configured to decompile the assembly code to generate source code based on the device firmware. A code neutralizer generates a first neutralized code from the source code. A firmware identifier compares at least a portion of the neutralized code to a code repository to identify an origin of the firmware code. Based at least on the identified origin of the firmware code, a vulnerability determiner determines whether the firmware code contains a vulnerability, such as a security vulnerability that may be exploited.