Deploying Secure Boot: Key Creation and Management

Hardware Security Modules
• Microsoft strongly recommends using a Hardware Security Module
(HSM) for key creation
• Most HSMs have Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS)
Publication 140-2 level 3 compliance
– Requires that keys are not exported or imported from the HSM.
• HSMs support multiple key storage options
– Local on the HSM itself
– On the server attached to the HSM - for solutions which requires lots
of keys
• The cryptographic module security policy shall specify a physical
security policy, including:
– Tamper-evident seals, locks, tamper response and zeroization
switches, and alarms
– Policy includes actions required by the operator(s) to ensure that
physical security is maintained such as periodic inspections
10 UEFI Summer Summit – July 2012 www.uefi.org