Boot Guard

Intel Boot Guard is a hardware-based security feature that is included in some newer Intel processors. It is designed to help ensure the integrity of the boot process by verifying the digital signature of the firmware and boot loader before allowing them to execute.

Boot Guard works by using a hardware-based root of trust to verify the integrity of the firmware and boot loader. During the boot process, the processor checks the digital signature of the firmware and boot loader against a set of public keys that are stored in read-only memory (ROM) on the processor. If the digital signature is valid, the processor allows the firmware and boot loader to execute. If the digital signature is not valid, the processor will not allow the firmware and boot loader to execute, preventing the system from booting.

Boot Guard helps to protect the system against a range of security threats, including firmware-level malware and other types of attacks that target the boot process. It helps to ensure that the system boots only from trusted and verified firmware and boot loader, helping to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Overall, Intel Boot Guard is an important security feature that can help to enhance the security and reliability of computer systems, particularly in business and enterprise environments where security threats are a significant concern. It provides a hardware-based root of trust for the boot process, helping to ensure the integrity of the system firmware and protecting the system from a range of security threats.