Computing device with recovery mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9898368-B1
Application number	US-201514847762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 8, 2015
Priority date	Oct 13, 2009
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for implementing a recovery mode procedure for a computing device are disclosed. An example method includes determining, by a computing device, that a recovery mode procedure is to be executed on the computing device. The example method further includes, determining whether a trusted recovery image is accessible to the computing device and, in the event the trusted recovery image is accessible to the computing device, executing the recovery mode procedure to repair or replace a current image of the computing device using the trusted recovery image. In the event the trusted recovery image is not accessible to the computing device, the example method includes, providing instructions for obtaining the trusted recovery image, determining the obtained trusted recovery image is accessible to the computing device and executing the recovery mode procedure to repair or replace the current image of the computing device using the obtained trusted recovery image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing device comprising:
a processor;
a first memory device including first portions of a current image of the computing device; and
a second memory device including firmware, the firmware including a write-protected region and a writeable region, the write-protected region including a boot stub, the writeable region including second portions of the current image of the computing device, the second memory device operationally coupled to the processor, wherein the second memory device has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to,
based on determining that at least one portion of the current image is in an unexpected state, access a redundant instance of the at least one portion of the current image, wherein the determination is based on information stored in the boot stub, the at least one portion of the current image being a firmware portion included in the writeable region of the firmware, and the redundant instance of the at least one portion of the current image being a redundant instance of the firmware portion, the redundant instance of the firmware portion being included in the writeable region of the firmware.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the information stored in the boot stub includes a cryptographic key.

3. The computing device of claim 2 , wherein each portion of the current image includes a digital signature, and wherein the cryptographic key is used to verify the digital signature.

4. The computing device of claim 1 ,
wherein the write-protected region of the second memory further includes recovery firmware, and
wherein accessing a redundant instance of the at least one portion of the current image comprises initiating, by the recovery firmware, a recovery mode procedure.

5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein determining that at least one portion of the current image is in an unexpected state comprises detecting that the at least one portion of the current image is corrupted based on using a parity check or an error correction code.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first memory device comprises a system memory of the computing device.

7. A computing device comprising:
a processor;
a first memory device including first portions of a current image of the computing device; and
a second memory device including firmware, the firmware including a write-protected region and a writeable region, the write-protected region including a boot stub, the writeable region including second portions of the current image of the computing device, the second memory device being operationally coupled to the processor, wherein the second memory device has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to, based on determining that at least one portion of the current image is in an unexpected state, access a redundant instance of the at least one portion of the current image, wherein the determination is based on information stored in the boot stub, the at least one portion of the current image being a kernel partition or a root filesystem, the kernel partition, a redundant instance of the kernel partition, the root filesystem, and a redundant instance of the root filesystem being included in the first memory.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:
storing, in a first memory device, first portions of a current image of a computing device;
storing, in a second memory device, firmware including a write-protected region and a writeable region, the write-protected region including a boot stub, the writeable region including second portions of the current image of the computing device;
determining, using information stored in the boot stub, whether any of the first portions of the current image of the computing device or any of the second portions of the current image of the computing device are in an unexpected state; and
based on determining that at least one portion of the current image is in an unexpected state, accessing a redundant instance of the at least one portion of the current image, the at least one portion of the current image being a firmware portion included in the writeable region, and the redundant instance of the at least one portion of the current image being a redundant instance of the firmware portion, the redundant instance of the firmware portion being included in the writeable region.

9. The method of claim 8 ,
wherein the information stored in the boot stub includes a cryptographic key,
wherein each portion of the current image includes a digital signature, and
wherein the method further comprises verifying the digital signature using the cryptographic key.

10. The method of claim 8 ,
wherein the write-protected region of the second memory further includes recovery firmware, and
wherein accessing a redundant instance of the at least one portion of the current image comprises initiating, by the recovery firmware, a recovery mode procedure.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining whether any of the first portions of the current image of the computing device or any of the second portions of the current image of the computing device are in an unexpected state comprises detecting that at least one portion of the current image of the computing device is corrupted based on using one of a parity check and an error correction code.

12. A computer-implemented method comprising:
storing, in a first memory device, first portions of a current image of a computing device;
storing, in a second memory device, firmware including a write-protected region and a writeable region, the write-protected region including a boot stub, the writeable region including second portions of the current image of the computing device;
determining, using information stored in the boot stub, whether any of the first portions of the current image of the computing device or any of the second portions of the current image of the computing device are in an unexpected state; and
based on determining that at least one portion of the current image is in an unexpected state, accessing a redundant instance of the at least one portion of the current image,
the at least one portion of the current image being a kernel partition or a root filesystem,
the kernel partition, a redundant instance of the kernel partition, the root filesystem, and a redundant instance of the root filesystem being included in the first memory.

13. A non-transitory recordable storage medium having recorded and stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the actions of:
storing, in a first memory device, first portions of a current image of a computing device;
storing, in a second memory device, firmware including a write-protected region and a writeable region, the write-protected region including a boot stub, the writeable region including second portions of the current image of the computing device;
determining, using information stored in the boot stub, whether any of the first portions of the current image of the computing device or any of the second portions of the current image of the computing device are in an unexpected state; and
based on determining that at least one portion of the current image is in an unexpected state, accessing a redundant instance of the at least one portion of the current image, the at least one portion of the current image being a firmware portion included in the writeable region, and the redundant instance of the at least one portion of the current image being a redundant instance of the firmware portion, the redunda

Assignees

• Google Inc
• Google Llc

Inventors

• Hendricks David
• Tabone Ryan
• Upson Linus
• Spangler Randall R

Classifications

• H04L2209/24

  Key scheduling, i.e. generating round keys or sub-keys for block encryption · CPC title

• H04L9/3247

  involving digital signatures · CPC title

• H04L2209/72

  Signcrypting, i.e. digital signing and encrypting simultaneously · CPC title

• G06F2201/84

  Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data · CPC title

• G06F11/1415

  at system level · CPC title