UEFI Attestation Component for Hardware Inventory Integrity

The patent applies preliminary action by creating an inventory of hardware and software components during the boot process before the operating system loads. This inventory is generated in advance and stored in a secure location, allowing subsequent verification of component integrity without requiring continuous monitoring or intervention during system operation. The inventory creation happens proactively at the earliest possible moment in the boot sequence.

The patent implements feedback by comparing the generated inventory against a reference inventory and providing a comparison result that indicates whether components have been tampered with. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect changes in hardware or software components and alert the user or system administrator, enabling proactive detection of tampering while maintaining the extendability of the firmware.

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the boot process into distinct phases: creating the inventory of components, storing the inventory securely, comparing the inventory against reference data, and providing comparison results. This segmentation allows each phase to be handled independently and simplifies the overall implementation of integrity checking without requiring a complete redesign of the boot process.

The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing an inventory data structure as a mediator between the hardware/software components and the integrity verification process. Instead of directly verifying each component's authenticity through complex cryptographic operations, the system creates a summarized inventory that serves as an intermediary representation, which can then be efficiently compared against reference data to detect tampering.

The patent applies copying by creating a copy of the system state in the form of an inventory data structure that captures hardware and software component information. This inventory copy can be stored, transmitted, and compared without affecting the actual system operation or requiring complex cryptographic operations during normal execution. The inventory serves as a static representation that can be analyzed later to detect changes or tampering.

The patent transitions from the traditional one-dimensional linear boot verification process to a multi-dimensional approach by capturing inventory data across multiple dimensions: hardware components, software components, their versions, and their relationships. This dimensional expansion allows for more comprehensive tracking and analysis of system state changes without adding complexity to the core verification mechanism.