Abstract: Disclosed herein is a charging drone. The charging drone can comprise a flight mechanism, a charging transmitter, a processor, and a memory. The processor can be in electrical communication with the flight mechanism and the charging transmitter. The memory can store instructions that, when executed by the processor, can cause the processor to perform operations. The operations can comprise receiving a charge request signal; transmitting a navigation signal to the flight mechanism; verifying credentials from an in-flight drone; and activing the charging transmitter. The charge request signal can include data associated with the in-flight drone. The navigation signal can include guidance data for guiding the charging drone to the in-flight drone. The credentials can be verified when the charging drone is proximate the in-flight drone. The charging transmitter can be activated upon verification of the credentials.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to securing system management mode (SMM) in a computer system. A CPU is configurable to execute first code in a normal mode, and second code in a SMM. A SMM control engine is operative to transition the CPU from the normal mode to the SMM in response to a SMM transition call, and to control access by the CPU in the SMM to data from an originator of the SMM transition call. The access is controlled based on an authorization state assigned to the SMM transition call. An authorization engine is operative to perform authentication of the originator of the SMM transition call and to assign the authorization state based on an authentication result. The CPU in the SMM is prevented from accessing the data in response to the authentication result being a failure of authentication.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to securing system management mode (SMM) in a computer system. A CPU is configurable to execute first code in a normal mode, and second code in a SSM. A SMM control engine is operative to transition the CPU from the normal mode to the SMM in response to a SMM transition call, and to control access by the CPU in the SMM to data from an originator of the SMM transition call. The access is controlled based on an authorization state assigned to the SMM transition call. An authorization engine is operative to perform authentication of the originator of the SMM transition call and to assign the authorization state based on an authentication result. The CPU in the SMM is prevented from accessing the data in response to the authentication result being a failure of authentication.

Abstract: Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that can be configured to include an authentication module. The authentication module can be configured to receiving a request to access an electronic device, where the electronic device is separate from the authentication module, collect authentication data, communicate the authentication data to a network element, receive an authentication key, and communicate the authentication key to the electronic device.

Abstract: Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that can be configured to include an authentication module. The authentication module can be configured to receiving a request to access an electronic device, where the electronic device is separate from the authentication module, collect authentication data, communicate the authentication data to a network element, receive an authentication key, and communicate the authentication key to the electronic device.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to isolated guest creation in a virtualized computing system. A memory in a computing device may be divided into isolated execution environments, allowing some software (e.g., guests) to be isolated in a high privilege execution environment. A virtual machine manager (VMM) of a low privilege execution environment may issue commands to a VMM of the high privilege execution environment to, for example, cause a guest loaded in the low privileged execution environment to be placed into the high privilege execution environment, to interact with the guest in the high privilege execution environment, to cause the guest to be removed from the high privilege execution environment, etc. The guest may include attributes configured to control guest behavior such as, for example, when to perform activities, how to respond to stop commands received from the VMM of the high privilege execution environment, etc.