Methods and apparatus for secure collection and display of user interface
information in a pre-boot environment are disclosed. A disclosed system
executes trusted software under a secure mode of a processor. In the
secure mode, the processor may directly access an area of memory that
normally cannot be accessed. One or more software routines, device
drivers, digital certificates, hash codes, encryption keys, and/or any
other data may be stored in the secure area of memory. Software routines
and device drivers stored in the secure area of memory and/or certified
by data in the secure area of memory may be "trusted." Preferably,
trusted software routines and/or device drivers are digitally signed by a
trusted source (e.g., Microsoft). In addition to trusted interface
objects, the pre-boot environment may include non-trusted interface
objects. These non-trusted interface objects may use third party software
routines and/or device drivers. Accordingly, both trusted and non-trusted
interface objects may be used in the same pre-boot interface.