intel_bios_dumper

intel_bios_dumper [OPTIONS]

-h, --help
    Displays a brief help message and exits. This option provides information on how to use the command and its available parameters.

-o , --output=
    Specifies the output file path where the BIOS image will be saved. If this option is not provided, the command typically writes the dump to a default file name like bios.bin in the current working directory, or to standard output (stdout) if the tool is designed that way.

-q, --quiet
    Suppresses verbose output, showing only critical messages or errors. Useful for scripting or when less console clutter is desired.

The intel_bios_dumper command is a specialized utility designed to extract and dump the entire contents of the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) firmware from Intel-based platforms. It provides a raw binary image of the firmware, which can be invaluable for reverse engineering, security analysis, firmware debugging, or forensic purposes.

The tool interacts directly with the system's hardware and firmware interfaces to read out the BIOS image. Due to its low-level nature, it typically requires root privileges to operate. The output is usually a binary file, representing the complete firmware image as it resides on the system's flash memory.

Root Privileges Required: This command requires superuser (root) permissions to access the low-level hardware interfaces necessary for BIOS dumping. Running without root will almost certainly result in permission denied errors.
Intel Platforms Only: This tool is specifically designed for Intel chipsets and platforms. It will not work on systems based on AMD, ARM, or other architectures.
Potential System Instability: While dumping BIOS is generally a read-only operation and considered safe, any low-level hardware interaction carries a theoretical risk of system instability if the tool encounters unexpected firmware states or hardware configurations.
Firmware Protection: Some modern BIOS/UEFI firmware implementations include hardware or software protections (e.g., Intel Boot Guard, SPI write protection) that might prevent a full or accurate dump, or could lead to partial dumps.

The command typically outputs a raw binary file representing the exact contents of the BIOS/UEFI flash memory. This file can then be opened and analyzed using specialized firmware analysis tools like UEFItool, IDA Pro, or Ghidra.

To dump the BIOS to a file named my_bios_dump.bin:
sudo intel_bios_dumper -o my_bios_dump.bin
To dump the BIOS to the default file bios.bin:
sudo intel_bios_dumper

The intel_bios_dumper utility is typically part of broader open-source projects or tool suites developed by Intel or the community for analyzing and interacting with Intel platform hardware. It emerged as a necessary tool for researchers, developers, and security professionals needing direct access to firmware images for analysis, especially given the increasing complexity and importance of UEFI firmware in modern systems. Its development parallels the need for deeper introspection into system boot processes and security mechanisms.

dmidecode(8), flashrom(8), fwupd(1), lspci(8), rdmsr(8), wrmsr(8)