Intel Corporation
PLATFORM HARDENING FOR BOOTLOADERS VIA REFERENCE FIRMWARE

Abstract:

During a computing system boot sequence, reference firmware provided by a computing system component supplies Advanced Component and Peripheral Interface (ACPI) code that generates ACPI tables and definition blocks to a bootloader. During a boot sequence, the reference firmware receives an indication from the bootloader which components the reference firmware is to initialize. As part of component initialization performed by the reference firmware, the reference firmware populates hand-off data structures (e.g., hand-off blocks (HOBs)) with ACPI code (AML code) that, when executed by the bootloader, generates and populates ACPI tables (e.g., DSDT and SSDT tables) and definition blocks with information pertinent to the initialization and runtime management of computing system components. Component initialization and runtime configuration workarounds can be implemented in the bootloader incorporating reference firmware updates provided by the component vendor.