Patent ID: 7958371

Claim:
A multiprocessing system, comprising: a plurality of processors, each including a respective local memory in which to execute programs and interconnected with each other via an internal bus; a main memory operatively coupled to the processors and adapted to respond to data load and data store requests from the processors; a private key stored in the system, the private key being unique to the multiprocessing system; a secure storage medium comprising a plurality of operating system (OS) programs stored within the system, the plurality of OSs having been encrypted by a trusted third party, other than a manufacturer of the multiprocessing system, using respective public keys, each paired with the private key, wherein at least one of the processors is operable to: decrypt a first of the OSs using the private key, execute an authentication program to verify that the first OS is valid, execute the first OS if the OS is valid, terminate execution of the first OS, decrypt a second of the plurality of OSs using the private key, execute the authentication program to verify that the second OS is valid, and execute the second OS if valid.