UEFI Credential-Based Hardware Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional UEFI systems lack protection against malicious access, allowing malicious applications, shells, or OS Loaders to corrupt hardware resources, and existing Secure Boot features do not grant or deny device access based on user credentials.
Innovation Solution
Implementing UEFI credential-based access systems that store and authenticate user credentials independently of administrative authority, using the UEFI Device Path Protocol to determine access rights and provide authenticated Device Paths, thereby preventing unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional UEFI systems allow unrestricted access to hardware resources, then ease of operation is improved, but security against malicious access deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments hardware resource access by introducing user-specific credentials and device-specific access rights. Each user receives unique credentials that are validated against stored credentials in the UEFI firmware, enabling fine-grained segmentation of access permissions. This allows the system to distinguish between authorized and unauthorized access attempts at the firmware level, preventing malicious applications from gaining unrestricted hardware access while maintaining ease of operation for authorized users.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If UEFI systems implement credential-based access control, then security against malicious access is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The UEFI firmware performs self-service by storing credentials internally and autonomously validating user credentials against stored credentials during the authentication process. The firmware independently determines access rights without requiring external authentication servers or complex third-party infrastructure. This self-contained approach enhances security while minimizing the increase in device complexity, as the credential verification logic is integrated directly into the UEFI authentication module.
3Ease of operation
If access rights are determined by administrative authority alone, then ease of operation is maintained, but reliability of access control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-storing credentials in the UEFI firmware before users attempt to access hardware resources. During authentication, the firmware retrieves and validates the user's credentials against these pre-stored credentials, determining access rights before any hardware access occurs. This preliminary credential verification ensures reliable access control by establishing authorization boundaries in advance, while maintaining ease of operation through automated credential validation without requiring complex administrative interventions.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) credential-based access of hardware resources. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the processor, cause the IHS to: receive a credential for a given one of a plurality of users; and store the credential, where the credential is retrievable via a UEFI Device Path Protocol as part of a determination of whether the given user has access to a given one of a plurality of devices within the IHS, and where the given device is accessible via a UEFI Device Path.