International Business Machines Corporation

Franziska Geisert

Jakob Christopher Lang

Reinhard Theodor Buendgen

Mareike Lattermann

Angel Nunez Mencias

Volker Boenisch

Volker M M Boenisch

Budy D Notohardjono

Angel Nunez-Mencias

Jochen Schweflinghaus

Michael Holzheu

Reinard T Buendgen

Andreas O Loesche

Florian Schaefer

Angel N Mencias

In an approach to grouping related tasks, one or more computer processors receive a first task initialization by a first user. The one or more computer processors determine whether one or more additional tasks contained in one or more task groups are in use by the first user. Responsive to determining one or more additional tasks contained in one or more task groups are in use, the one or more computer processors determine whether the first task is related to at least one task of the one or more additional tasks. Responsive to determining the first task is related to at least one task of the one or more additional tasks, the one or more computer processors add the first task to the task group containing the at least one related task of the one or more additional tasks.

Task grouping by context

Methods and systems for executing dumping of main memory content and CPU states and for an adaptive boot. The methods and the systems provide a configuration list of the computer system comprising a pre-defined set of dedicated resources for the dumping, provide threshold values for a pre-defined set of minimum resources for executing a reboot of the computer system, assign the pre-defined set of the dedicated resources for executing the dumping, start the dumping, release ones of the dedicated resources after content of the ones of the dedicated resources has been dumped, start a reboot process of the computer system in response to determining that the ones of the dedicated resources exceeds the threshold values for the pre-defined set of the minimum resources for executing the reboot process, and continue to release others of the dedicated resources to the reboot process until the dumping is completed.

Incremental dump with fast reboot

Generating a pool of random numbers for use by computer applications. Vibration sensors are placed throughout a machine and collects information theoretic entropy data from the measurement of the vibration sensors. The data is then filtered and added to an entropy pool. Applications needing a random number may acquire a number from the pool. A method, computer program product and system to generate the pool are provided.

Extracting entropy from machine vibration

Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for extracting entropy from mobile devices to generate random numbers. In some embodiments, first vibration data may be received from a first device. Second vibration data may be received from a second device. A first piece of entropy data may be generated using the first vibration data and a second piece of entropy data may be generated using the second vibration data. The first piece of entropy data and the second piece of entropy data may be aggregated. The first piece of entropy data and the second piece of entropy data may be stored in an entropy pool.

Extracting entropy from mobile devices to generate random numbers

Methods are provided for using a hardware module connectable to multiple computer systems, where the multiple computer systems are connectable to a server within a common network. The method includes: providing a network address of the server in persistent memory of the hardware security module; providing an encrypted secret entity in the persistent memory of the hardware security module; providing a private key in the persistent memory of the hardware security module; and based on the hardware security module being connectable to one of the computer systems, the method includes: establishing a secure connection between the hardware security module and the server; retrieving, via the secure connection, a wrapping key from the server and storing it in volatile memory of the hardware security module; and decrypting the encrypted secret entity with the wrapping key and storing the decrypted secret entity in the volatile memory of the hardware security module.

Controlled use of a hardware security module

Trusted firmware on a host server is used for managing access to a hardware security module (HSM) connected to the host server. The HSM stores confidential information associated with an operating system. As part of access management, the firmware detects a boot device identifier associated with a boot device configured to boot the operating system on the host server. The firmware then receives a second boot device identifier from the HSM. The boot device identifier and the second boot device identifier are then compared by the firmware. Based on the comparison, the firmware determines that the boot device identifier matches with the second boot device identifier. Based on this determination, the firmware grants the operating system access to the HSM.

Hardware security module access management in a cloud computing environment

At least one hardware security module out of a plurality of hardware security modules is assigned to a guest system. The at least one hardware security module out of the plurality of hardware security modules is configured with a master key. A data pattern is used for a challenge protocol adapted to prove that the at least one hardware security module out of the plurality of hardware security modules is configured with the master key. The at least one hardware security module including the master key is assigned to the guest system based on a positive outcome of the challenge protocol.

Content based hardware security module assignment to virtual machines

In an approach to grouping tasks initialized by a first user, one or more computer processors receive a first task initialization by a first user. The one or more computer processors determine whether one or more additional tasks contained in one or more task groups are in use by the first user. Responsive to determining one or more additional tasks contained in one or more task groups are in use, the one or more computer processors determine whether the first task is related to at least one task of the one or more additional tasks. Responsive to determining the first task is related to at least one task of the one or more additional tasks, the one or more computer processors add the first task to the task group containing the at least one related task of the one or more additional tasks.

Generating a pool of random numbers for use by computer applications. Vibration sensors are placed throughout a machine and collect entropy data from the measurements of the vibration sensors. The data is then filtered and sent via secure connection to a second machine to be added to the second machine's entropy pool. Applications needing a random number may acquire a number from the pool. A method, computer program product and system to generate the pool are provided.

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Altdorf, Germany

Franziska Geisert