General Electric Company
DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR SECURELY INITIALIZING AN EMBEDDED SYSTEM

Abstract:

A method is disclosed and includes authenticating a first stage boot loader and authenticating a second stage boot loader in response to authentication of the first stage boot loader. The method also includes executing the second stage boot loader in response to authentication of the second stage boot loader. Executing the second stage boot loader includes loading an operating system, a first set of machine-readable instructions, and first configuration information associated with the first set of machine-readable instructions onto a non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the first set of machine-readable instructions and the first configuration information are associated with one or more priority partitions. Executing the second stage boot loader includes authenticating the operating system and the first set of machine-readable instructions. Executing the second stage boot loader includes executing the first set of machine-readable instructions in response to authentication of the operating system and the first set of machine-readable instructions.