Patent ID: 9678766
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: G06F

Claim:
1. A computer program product comprising a computer usable memory including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer system causes the computer system to execute program code for controlling configuration of a computer system comprising at least one exchangeable component, the program code executable by a processor to: generate a first pair of a first private key and a first public key for each accepted manufacturer of the exchangeable components and a second pair of a second private key and a second public key for the computer system; assign an identifier for each exchangeable component and store the identifier together with a signature over the identifier generated with the first private key; encrypt the identifier and the signature with the second public key; create an identity record for the exchangeable component, comprising: a unique number and optional identification data of the computer system; and sign the identity record with the signature using the second private key; receive configuration data comprising a list of encrypted identity records comprising identifiers of the components together with signatures over the data generated with the first private key of each component expected to be attached to the respective computer system, decrypt data comprising the identifier and the signature with the second private key stored on the computer system, and store the received configuration data together with the signature generated from the first private key of each expected component in a configuration database; receive a configuration record from the configuration database comprising configuration data on a controlled computer system, connect the component to the computer system, sense the configuration data currently attached by the computer system, compare the configuration data of each expected component with the configuration data of the components currently attached to the computer system, and report any mismatches, wherein the comparison uses the stored identifier, and wherein a signature is validated using the first public key stored in a secure area in computer system firmware.