Patent Abstract:
A credential caching system includes receiving a set of authentication credentials, storing the set of authentication credentials in a credential cache memory, wherein the credential cache memory is coupled with a management controller, and supplying the set of authentication credentials for automatic authentication during a reset or reboot. In the event of a security breach, the credential caching system clears the set of authentication credentials from the credential cache memory so that the set of authentication credentials may no longer be used for a reset or reboot.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to a secure caching of server credentials for an information handling system. 
         [0002]    As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems. 
         [0003]    There is a concern for protecting data on IHS systems from theft or misappropriation. This concern will continue to grow as hackers and thieves become even more sophisticated in their methods for gaining this data and information. One can impose many levels of protection to an IHS and related components by adding the need for credentials, such as operating system passwords, BIOS passwords, hard disk drive (HDD) passwords, trusted platform module (TPM) authentication data (authdata), physical keys, hardware keys (e.g., USB keys) and a variety of other security features for different components or modules of the IHS. Adding these security features imposes a level of difficulty in a data center environment because a data center may have many IHSs, (e.g., IHS servers) and the IHSs may be expected to boot or reset with no physical human intervention, and as fast as possible. In fact, in some data centers, if the security feature requires human intervention every boot, or if it slows down the reboot process significantly, it may not get deployed in the data center. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide for secure caching of server credentials for an IHS to add security without requiring human intervention absent the disadvantages discussed above. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    According to one embodiment, a credential caching system includes receiving a set of authentication credentials, storing the set of authentication credentials in a credential cache memory, wherein the credential cache memory is coupled with a management controller, and supplying the set of authentication credentials for automatic authentication during a reset or reboot. In the event of a security breach, the credential caching system clears the set of authentication credentials from the credential cache memory so that the set of authentication credentials may no longer be used for a reset or reboot. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of an information handling system (IHS). 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of a method for secure caching of server IHS credentials. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    For purposes of this disclosure, an IHS  100  includes any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an IHS  100  may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The IHS  100  may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, read only memory (ROM), and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the IHS  100  may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The IHS  100  may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components. 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one IHS  100 . The IHS  100  includes a processor  102  such as an Intel Pentium™ series processor or any other processor available. A memory I/O hub chipset  104  (comprising one or more integrated circuits) connects to processor  102  over a front-side bus  106 . Memory I/O hub  104  provides the processor  102  with access to a variety of resources. Main memory  108  connects to memory I/O hub  104  over a memory or data bus. A graphics processor  110  also connects to memory I/O hub  104 , allowing the graphics processor to communicate, e.g., with processor  102  and main memory  108 . Graphics processor  110 , in turn, provides display signals to a display device  112 . 
         [0010]    Other resources can also be coupled to the system through the memory I/O hub  104  using a data bus, including an optical drive  114  or other removable-media drive, one or more hard disk drives  116 , one or more network interfaces  118 , one or more Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports  120 , and a super I/O controller  122  to provide access to user input devices  124 , etc. The IHS  100  may also include a solid state drive (SSDs)  126  in place of, or in addition to main memory  108 , the optical drive  114 , and/or a hard disk drive  116 . It is understood that any or all of the drive devices  114 ,  116 , and  126  may be located locally with the IHS  100 , located remotely from the IHS  100 , and/or they may be virtual with respect to the IHS  100 . 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  also includes a management controller  130 , such as a remote access controller (RAC), coupled with the memory I/O hub  104 . The management controller  130  generally provides out-of-band management. The controller  130  may have has its own processor  131 , battery (not shown) or auxiliary power, network connection, access to the system bus, and memory. In an embodiment, a portion of the memory the memory is used as the credential cache  132 . In an embodiment, the credential cache  132  is a separate memory. The credential cache  132  may be a volatile or a non-volatile memory device. However, using a volatile memory device of the credential cache  132  allows the credential cache  132  to lose data stored in the memory, such as any authentication credentials stored in the cache  132  when power to the memory device is removed. The controller  130  may perform power management, virtual media access and remote console. A controller  130  may allow a user, such as a system administrator, to configure an IHS  100  as if the user were sitting at the local console coupled with the IHS  100 . Using the controller  130 , a user may login and reboot the IHS even if the core operating system has crashed. The controller  130  may include a network interface  134 , which may be coupled with the network interface  118 . The network interface  134  allows the controller  130  to couple with and communicate with other IHSs  100  via a network system. For example, the network interface  134  allows the controller  130  to couple with a key management server  136  using a local network system. The key management server  136  may include an active application directory (AD) or other type of directory services protocol, such as the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). An LDAP is generally understood in the art as an application protocol for querying and modifying directory services running over a network protocol, such as TCP/IP. It should be understood that other protocols may be used with the present disclosure for storing credentials. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  also includes a plug-in, or other connection to a line voltage source  140 . A power supply unit  142  utilizes the power from the voltage source connector  140  to provide main power  144  and auxiliary power  146  to the processor  102  and the controller  130 . As discussed above, the credential cache  132  may lose data (e.g., authentication credentials) stored in the credential cache  132  when power is lost by breaking the power line, such as breaking the power to the power supply unit  142  at a point of break  148 . However, the power may be broken to the credential cache  132  at other locations and via ways other than unplugging the IHS  100 . Thus, if a someone tries to physically remove the IHS  100  from its proper location, rack, or etc., such as by trying to steal the IHS  100 , the credentials will be lost and the IHS  100  will not be properly usable. 
         [0013]    Not all IHSs  100  include each of the components shown in  FIG. 1 , and other components not shown may exist. Furthermore, some components shown as separate may exist in an integrated package or be integrated in a common integrated circuit with other components, for example, the processor  102  and the memory I/O hub  104  can be combined together. As can be appreciated, many systems are expandable, and include or can include a variety of components, including redundant or parallel resources. 
         [0014]    An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a credential caching system that may be automatically accessed without human intervention to protect a server IHS&#39;s credentials where an unauthorized user or machine, such as a hacker or thief, is not able to get to the local cache store once the server is unplugged and moved out of the data center or otherwise breaches security, such as by opening a chassis of the IHS  100 . In an embodiment, the credential cache  132  is stored in volatile memory, which will store the credentials as long as the volatile memory holding the credentials maintains power. As such, this system allows for fast booting of server or other IHSs  100  without user intervention if the IHS  100  is not physically removed from its power source. Thus, the present disclosure is well suited for IHSs  100  in the form of servers, workstations, notebooks, desktops, or any variety of other IHSs  100 . The present disclosure may include the credential cache memory  132  within a chassis of the IHS  100  and/or on-board with the controller  130 . However, it should be understood that other locations for the cache  132  may be used. 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of a method  160  for secure caching of server IHS credentials. The method  160  begins at  162  where the IHS  100  is powered up. The method  160  then proceeds to block  164  where controller  130  couples to the key management server  136  and authenticates to an active directory (AD) or other directory service in the key management server  136 . The method  160  then proceeds to block  166  where directory service authenticates the controller  130  and releases authentication credentials to the controller  130 . Then, the method  160  proceeds to block  168  where the controller  130  creates a credential cache  132  where the authentication credentials are cached/stored in the credential cache memory  132 . In an embodiment, the cache  132  may be volatile random access memory (RAM). In an embodiment, the credentials may be secured by encryption or other security methods. The method  160  then proceeds to decision block  170  where the method  160  determines whether there has been a loss of power, a chassis intrusion, or other breach or security, which may be detected using chassis door sensor or other input device  138 . If no, there has not been some breach of security, the method  160  proceeds to block  172  when the IHS  100  receives a command to reboot, reset the communication bus and/or other command requiring the credentials stored on board in the credential cache  132 . If yes, there has been some breach of security, the method  160  proceeds to block  174  where the authentication credentials in the credential cache  132  are flushed or otherwise cleared from the credential cache  132 . Thus future reboots/resets of the IHS  100  require the method  160  to return to block  164  where the authentication is performed using an off-chassis authentication via the key management server  136 . After block  172 , the method  160  then proceeds to block  176 , where the controller  130  provides the credentials whenever needed for the reboots, resets, and etc. The method  160  then loops back to block  170 . 
         [0016]    In summary, the present disclosure utilizes the fact that many IHS  100  service processors (e.g., a management controller/remote access controller) is rarely powered down, even when the rest of the system (e.g., the host processor  102 ) is reset or when the operating system reboots the IHS  100 . The IHS  100  may undergo many resets/reboots each day, therefore, it becomes impractical to manually authenticate or provide credentials, such as HDD passwords, TPM “authdata”, or the like to the IHS  100  on every reboot/reset. On the other hand, the IHS  100  ensures that theft (e.g., physical unplugging and carrying away) and/or chassis intrusion will cause the credentials to be flushed out of the credential cache  132 . 
         [0017]    An embodiment of the secure caching of server credentials of the present disclosure is illustrated when the IHS  100  is plugged in and powered up. Then, the controller  130  authenticates to an AD, for example, and obtains system authentication credentials. Once gathered, the IHS&#39;s credentials are stored locally in the controller  130  service processor&#39;s RAM credential cache  132 , which may or may not be encrypted or otherwise secured. The system module, needing its own credentials, obtains them from controller  130 , directly or via a proxy. The controller  130  may then decrypt the credentials, if they are encrypted, prior to passing the credentials down the chain. Then, the IHS  100  continues to boot normally and perform work (e.g., operating system (OS) level tasks). 
         [0018]    From time to time an administrator or other user may need to reboot the IHS  100  machine (e.g. after applying a security patch). In this case the IHS  100  reboots where the host and modules on the main system buses, such as PCI-E will reset. This will, in general, cause modules in need of credentials to lock awaiting the secret key to be unlocked. System modules needing their own credentials may obtain them from the controller  130  either directly or via a proxy. Without any loss of power or other security breach to the controller  130 , the controller  130  still has the credentials cached in the credential cache  132  and can provide them to modules within its trust domain. After the modules receive the proper credentials from the cache  132 , the system uses the credentials to boot properly. However, in an example, if a hacker, thief or other unauthorized person, who is interested in the data and secrets on the IHS  100 , unplugs the IHS  100  and carries it home, then when the unauthorized person powers up the IHS  100  to get the sensitive data from the drives (e.g., the HDD  116 , the solid state drive  126 ) the unauthorized person finds out that IHS  100  is prompting for authentication credentials and fails to properly boot. This is because the controller  130  could not find the previously cached credentials as they have been cleared out of the credential cache  132  upon loss of power to the IHS  100 . In another example, if a user, such as a malicious employee, is aware of the fact that the secrets are inaccessible if the IHS  100  is unplugged, but still wants to access information, such as secrets, on the IHS  100  by doing some probing while the machine is still powered, and this user opens the chassis of the IHS  100  (e.g., a monolithic tower server) and starts probing around the systems and methods of the present disclosure again clear out the credentials in the credential cache  132  after a chassis intrusion was detected. Therefore, the data remains secure. 
         [0019]    It is noted that the general overall reference in this disclosure is that the key management server  136  is accessed via management controller  130  and the credential cache  132  is also in the mgmt controller domain. An alternate to this is to have the key management server  136  accessed directly via a UEFI environment (or BIOS with network stack included) (e.g., in server design that does not have a management controller  130  or chooses to not implement this design using management controller  130 ) and hold the credential cache  132  in a BIOS/host controller&#39;s domain. 
         [0020]    Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances, some features of the embodiments may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6