WMI-ACPI and the Binary MOF Format: Enhancing FOSS Hardware-Driver Capabilities

Current computer systems rely on a proprietary firmware interface called WMI-ACPI to expose platform-specific controls to the Microsoft Windows operating system. The WMI-ACPI interface relies on a binary format called Binary MOF for describing existing WMI interfaces.  However, this format is not documented, a circumstance that impairs the usage of the WMI-ACPI interface by other operating systems.

In this talk we will take a look at how we reverse-engineered the Binary MOF format using existing free software solutions and public specifications.  We will explore the internal structures of the Binary MOF format and take a look at the current state of WMI-ACPI support inside the Linux kernel.  The talk will also include a small demonstration of the implications the Binary MOF format has on the maintainability and compatibility of hardware drivers using the WMI-ACPI interface.