Bootstrap Loader vs Firmware - was Re: [plug] How does "signing" work?

[James Devenish]

In message <1.5.4.32.20030620135204.0068c3ec at pop.ozemail.com.au>
on Fri, Jun 20, 2003 at 09:52:04PM +0800, Arie Hol wrote:
> The above seems to be overly complex and a little off target .

Thanks for the feedback!

> Firmware - usually relates to ROM embedded software in a specific device ??

Sure. (In my case, the device was the "general-purpose computer".)

> BIOS - Basic Input Output System

This term seems PC-specific and I have no useful experience with that (I
have only encountered "BIOS" in a small number of other circumstances,
mostly embedded systems with Intel CPUs). I get the impression from
<http://wombat.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/foldoc.cgi?bios> that "BIOS" is
the term used for the firmware of an IBM PC (or compatible).

> Bootstrap Loader - goto :
> http://wombat.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/foldoc.cgi?bootstrap+loader

In the example I gave, the bootstrap loader was part of firmware. As far
as I can see, my explanation is not in disagreement with the one given
at the above URL. <shrug/> What I did neglect to mention, however, is
that the first-stage executable is usually under the discretion of the
computer's operator (e.g. when you format a bootable disk). Thus the
simplest enforcement of "signing" would be prior to the use of the
first-stage executable.