The AEGIS prototype is nearing completion, and we are confident that a complete description of its performance and implementation will be provided at the conference. Difficulty in obtaining BIOS source code has been a roadblock to modifying it to support AEGIS as described in the body of the paper. We have reached an agreement with a BIOS vendor to provide the source code after some legal details are finalized.
The current recovery kernel prototype uses IPv6 as a means of recovering replacement files. We intend to switch to the Internet Engineering Task Force's (IETF) Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP) [14] to allow user choice of a secure protocol. Additionally, the method with which the recovery kernel contacts a host is currently via a fixed address. We hope to develop or use a protocol in which the recovery host's address can be determined when needed.
The process by which components are vetted, signed, and the resultant signature and public key certificate installed needs to be addressed carefully. We plan to address this once a full prototype is completed, and will report on the results. As a minimum, we expect to use flaw detection techniques such as those from Bishop [2], Kannan [4], and others to assist in a technical vetting before the actual signing of the component.
We are also investigating the use of a cryptographic sideboard as a high end solution to improve performance and increase security.