Operational verification

Abstract

Example implementations relate to operational verification. In an example, operational verification includes a processor, a shared non-volatile memory storing updated system, and an embedded controller (EC) to operationally verify the updated system instructions based on comparison of a length of time associated with a BIOS boot of the computing system using the updated system instructions to a boot time threshold.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A computing system comprising:
 a first non-volatile memory to store a first version of system instructions;   a second non-volatile memory to store a second version of the system instructions; and   an embedded controller (EC) to:
 operationally verify the first version of the system instructions based on comparison of a length of time associated with a boot of the computing system using the first version of the system instructions to a boot time threshold, 
 cryptographically verify the first version of the system instructions, and 
 in response to verifying that the length of time associated with the boot is less than the boot time threshold and in response to cryptographically verifying the first version of the system instructions, update the second version of the system instructions with the first version of the system instructions. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a processor, wherein the EC is physically separate from the processor. 
     
     
         3 . The computing system of  claim 2 , wherein the EC is to control a power supply of the computing system. 
     
     
         4 . The computing system of  claim 2 , wherein the EC is to monitor a temperature of the computing system. 
     
     
         5 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the system instructions comprise Unified Extensible Instructions Interface (UEFI) instructions. 
     
     
         6 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first version of the system instructions is different from the second version of the system instructions. 
     
     
         7 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the length of time associated with the boot begins upon an initiation of the boot. 
     
     
         8 . The computing system of  claim 7 , wherein the length of time associated with the boot ends when the first version of the system instructions transfers control to a next component in a boot process. 
     
     
         9 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the EC comprises cryptographic hardware to cryptographically verify the first version of the system instructions. 
     
     
         10 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the EC is to cryptographically verify the first version of the system instructions by decrypting the first version of the system instructions using an encryption key. 
     
     
         11 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the EC is to, in response to determining that the length of time associated with the boot exceeds the boot time threshold:
 restore the second version of the system instructions from the second non-volatile memory to the first non-volatile memory, and   cause a boot of the computing system using the restored second version of the system instructions in the first non-volatile memory.   
     
     
         12 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions that upon execution cause an embedded controller (EC) to:
 operationally verify a first version of system instructions in a first non-volatile memory based on comparison of a length of time associated with a boot of a computing system using the first version of the system instructions to a boot time threshold;   cryptographically verify the first version of the system instructions; and   in response to verifying that the length of time associated with the boot is less than the boot time threshold and in response to cryptographically verifying the first version of the system instructions, update a second version of the system instructions in a second non-volatile memory with the first version of the system instructions from the first non-volatile memory.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the system instructions comprise Unified Extensible Instructions Interface (UEFI) instructions. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions upon execution cause the EC to control a power supply of the computing system. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions upon execution cause the EC to monitor a temperature of the computing system. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions upon execution cause the EC to, in response to determining that the length of time associated with the boot exceeds the boot time threshold:
 restore the second version of the system instructions from the second non-volatile memory to the first non-volatile memory, and   cause a boot of the computing system using the restored second version of the system instructions in the first non-volatile memory.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the boot of the computing system using the restored second version of the system instructions is based on a processor executing the restored second version of the system instructions, wherein the EC is physically separate from the processor. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 operationally verifying, by an embedded controller (EC), a first version of system instructions in a first non-volatile memory based on comparison of a length of time associated with a boot of a computing system using the first version of the system instructions to a boot time threshold;   cryptographically verifying, by the EC, the first version of the system instructions; and   in response to verifying that the length of time associated with the boot is less than the boot time threshold and in response to cryptographically verifying the first version of the system instructions, updating, by the EC, a second version of the system instructions in a second non-volatile memory with the first version of the system instructions from the first non-volatile memory.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 in response to determining that the length of time associated with the boot exceeds the boot time threshold:
 restoring, by the EC, the second version of the system instructions from the second non-volatile memory to the first non-volatile memory, and 
 causing, by the EC, booting of the computing system using the restored second version of the system instructions in the first non-volatile memory. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the system instructions comprise Unified Extensible Instructions Interface (UEFI) instructions.