Platform Boot Integrity: Foundation for Trusted Compute Pools

Abstract

In Chapter 2, we introduced the concept of trusted clouds and the key usage models to enable a trusted infrastructure. We provided a brief exposition of the boot integrity usage model, and its applicability across the three infrastructure domains—compute, storage, and network. In this chapter we will take a deeper look into ensuring the boot integrity of a compute platform, which boils down to ensuring the integrity of a number of platform components: the pre-launch and launch components covering firmware, BIOS, and hypervisor. Boot integrity is foundational in embodying the concept of a trusted infrastructure.