Advantech | Advantech Platform Security - NIST SP 800

Advantech Platform Security - NIST SP 800 - 193

Advantech platform security follows NIST Special Publication 800-193 (NIST SP 800 - 193), Platform Firmware Resiliency (PFR) Guidelines (May, 2018.) The PFR guidelines provides technical recommendations intended to support resiliency of platforms against potentially destructive attacks, which are based on three principles: (please click below hexagon icon for more information)

Platform Firmware Resiliency Guidelines

Advantech platform security provides sustainable compliance of NIST SP 800-193 to fulfill network edge requirements.

Security Hardening Options

Selectable customization firmware for different business segment Secure hardening depends on customer’s usage

What’s NIST Special Publication 800-193?

Root of Trust (RoT) / Chain of Trust (CoT)

Recovery
Mechanisms for restoring platform firmware code and critical data to a state of integrity in the event that any such firmware code or critical data are detected to have been corrupted, or when forced to recover through an authorized mechanism. Recovery is limited to the ability to recover firmware code and critical data.
Detection
Mechanisms for detecting when platform firmware code and critical data have been corrupted.
Protection
Mechanisms for ensuring that platform firmware code and critical data remain in a state of integrity and are protected from corruption, such as the process for ensuring the authenticity and integrity of firmware updates.

No Extra Hardware Cost

Advantech PFR solution provides maximum firmware resiliency without additional hardware cost.

Seamless Default Protection

We always care about user experience and product efficiency!

Full Compatibility

Advantech platform security is fully Compatible across network edge platform products.

Sustainable NIST.SP.800-193

The complete solution includes hardware protection and a firmware root of trust, which secures all operations of the computing system. Advantech platform security will enhance protection and recovery from the firmware root of trust without extra hardware changes. It is primarily used to protect against remote attacks, aimed at protecting each device from unauthorized changes to its firmware or critical data and restoring the platform to a state of integrity.

Secure Platform (SP) can automatically detect and recover from critical firmware (e.g., BMC and BIOS) corruption without IT intervention and with little or no interruption for user productivity.
(Security hardening options) Evertime the server powers on, SP automatically validates the integrity of the firmware code to help ensure that the server is safeguarded from malicious attacks. In the case of an attack, the server can self-heal using an isolated “golden copy” of the firmware in less than 10 minutes.

Functional Summary with NIST SP 800-193

NIST SP 800-193	Summary
4.1 RooT-of-Trust / Chain-of-Trust	The RooT of Trust (RoT) and Chain of Trust (CoT) are established by Advantech’s proprietary solution. Secure Platform (SP) uses RoT to verify BMC and BIOS firmware before launching it, then create a CoT.
4.2.1 Protection and Update of Mutable Code	SP uses authenticated Secure Firmware Update mechanism, which is anchored with Advantech’s proprietary RoT. Firmware images are digitally signed by Advantech and verified during upgrade and each boot-up. Firmware is only upgradable by authenticated users via a Secure Interface. (Optional) UEFI secure Boot
4.2.2 Protection of Immutable Code	The immutable boot firmware (e.g. bootloader) is locked and cannot be overwritten when RoT is enabled.
4.2.3 Runtime Protection of Critical Platform Firmware	All firmware upgrade will be secured by BMC with authentication mechanism. Other unauthenticated upgrade methods will be blocked.
4.2.4 Protection of Critical Data	Critical data can only be modified through a secure interface (e.g. Redfish) by an authenticated user. Reloading to factory default need to be authorized by BMC.
4.3.1 Detection of Corrupted Code	Secure Platform performs the integrity and signature verification at each boot up. It is capable of starting a recovery process to an authentic version with a BMC Watchdog. With the detection mechanisms of Advantech Integrity Sensor, System Event Logger (SEL), and Alert Notification, SP can create notifications and logging events if unauthorized changes or corrupted data are detected. In addition, SP can prevent the system booting into a tampered OS. It works with Event Logger and Alert Notifications. (Optional) With RoT Hardening, the Intel Boot Guard and AMD PSP are also optional for the BIOS.
4.3.2 Detection of Corrupted Critical Data	The integrity checks will be performing for detecting potential corruption of critical data, and capable of starting a recovery process to restore the device’s critical data. Event Logger (SEL), and Alert Notification is also capable if corruption detected.
4.4.1 Recovery of Mutable Code	SP supports automatic and manual firmware recovery mechanisms. With Dual Flash Design, the backup image content is protected independently of the running firmware.
4.4.2 Recovery of Critical Data	Both BMC and BIOS support automatic roll-back to a known good copy if critical data corruption was detected. In addition, end-users can save their default settings as a user default and perform a manual recovery via the BIOS setup menu.

* For more detail technical white paper under NDA, please contact with your Advantech product representative.
** Advantech follows NIST Special Publication 800-193, Platform Firmware Resiliency Guidelines, May 2018
*** All information, links, etc. contained in this page (hereinafter referred to as "information"), Advantech reserves the right to change the information at any time without prior notice. Advantech do not warrant, expressly or implicitly, that product users are absolutely free from attack or loss.