Patent ID: 8429389

Claim:
A gaming device having a ROM, the device comprising: a BIOS stored in the ROM; a secure loader stored in the ROM, wherein the secure loader is loadable by the BIOS, wherein the secure loader is initialized responsive to a command by the BIOS, and wherein control is transferred from the BIOS to the secure loader; an encrypted operating system stored in the ROM, wherein the encrypted operating system is a ciphertext of an operating system; and a decryption key for decrypting the ciphertext, wherein scattered partitions of the decryption key are steganographically hidden about the secure loader, wherein the scattered portions of the decryption key are located to decrypt the encrypted operating system, thereby yielding the operating system; wherein a plurality of check codes are verified responsive to decrypting the encrypted operating system, wherein the plurality of check codes are dispersed about the operating system, wherein the check codes are unrelated to the operating system, and wherein control is transferred from the secure loader to the operating system responsive to verifying the plurality of check codes.