# US 10,372,937 B2 · Data protection based on user input during device boot-up, user login, and device shut-down states > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,372,937 B2 - Document ID: US10372937B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/402,982 - Filed: 2014-06-27 - Published: 2016-10-13 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-27 - Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Inventors: Jerry Huang; Zhen Liu; QingHu Li; Chen Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10372937B2 ## CPC - G06F 21/6245: {Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes} - G06F 21/316: {by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour} - G06F 21/575: {Secure boot} - G06F 21/83: input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof - G06F 21/88: Detecting or preventing theft or loss - G06F 2221/034: Test or assess a computer or a system - G06F 2221/2111: Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS - G06F 2221/2137: Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data - G06F 2221/2139: Recurrent verification - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A computing device is described herein that automatically enters a data protection mode in response to the detected presence or absence of certain user input and/or user input behaviors during a device boot-up state, a user login state, or a device shut-down state. When the device enters the data protection mode, sensitive data stored on the device is automatically rendered invisible and/or inaccessible to a user thereof. The sensitive data may be rendered invisible and/or inaccessible in a manner that is not likely to be apparent to the user of the computing device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computing device comprising: a monitor configured to determine, during a shut-down process of the computing device, whether particular user input has been received via at least one user interface of the computing device, wherein the shut-down process of the computing device comprises a process during which an operating system and/or other software processes executing on the computing device are suspended or terminated and one or more hardware components of the computing device are being powered down; and a processor configured to activate a first mode of operation of the computing device in response to a determination that the particular user input has been received, and to activate a second mode of operation of the computing device in response to determining that the particular user input has not been received, the first mode of operation of the computing device being a mode in which sensitive data stored on the computing device and non-sensitive data stored on the computing device are both visible and accessible to a user, and the second mode of operation of the computing device being a mode in which the non-sensitive data stored on the computing device is visible and accessible to the user and the sensitive data stored on the computing device is rendered one or more of invisible to the user and inaccessible to the user, and the second mode of operation of the computing device being a mode in which at least one item of sensitive data is rendered invisible to the user or inaccessible to the user by performing one or more of: soft deleting the item of sensitive data, the soft deleting the item of sensitive data comprising deleting a link or file pointer to the item of sensitive data, the link or file pointer being restorable from a secure store; or closing or hiding a window in which the item of data is displayed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the monitor is configured to determine whether the particular user input has been received via the at least one user interface of the computing device by determining whether one or more particular keys or buttons have been pressed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the monitor is configured to determine whether the particular user input has been received via the at least one user interface of the computing device by determining whether a particular password has been entered. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, subsequent to rendering the sensitive data inaccessible to the user in the second mode of operation, restore access to the sensitive data in response to determining that a particular password has been entered during a subsequently-executed login process of the computing device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, subsequent to rendering the sensitive data inaccessible to the user in the second mode of operation, restore access to the sensitive data in response to determining that a particular password has been entered and at least one user input behavior is present during a subsequently-executed login process of the computing device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computing device of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to, subsequent to rendering the sensitive data inaccessible to the user in the second mode of operation, restore access to the sensitive data in response to determining that the user has entered a second particular input during a subsequently-executed boot-up process of the computing device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the monitor is configured to determine whether the particular user input has been received via the at least one user interface of the computing device by determining whether one or more user input behaviors are present during the shut-down process. ### Claim 8 A method for protecting sensitive data stored on a computing device, comprising: determining, during a shut-down process of the computing device, whether particular user input has been received via at least one user interface of the computing device, wherein the shut-down process of the computing device comprises a process during which an operating system and/or other software processes executing on the computing device are suspended or terminated and one or more hardware components of the computing device are being powered down; in response to a determination that the particular user input has been received, activating, during the shut-down process of the computing device, a first mode of operation of the computing device in which sensitive data stored on the computing device and non-sensitive data stored on the computing device are both visible and accessible to a user; and in response to a determination that the particular user input has not been received, activating, during the shut-down process of the computing device, a second mode of operation of the computing device in which the non-sensitive data stored on the computing device is visible and accessible to the user and the sensitive data stored on the computing device is rendered one or more of invisible to the user and inaccessible to the user by performing one or more of: soft deleting an item of sensitive data, the soft deleting the item of sensitive data comprising deleting a link or file pointer to the item of sensitive data, the link or file pointer being restorable from a secure store; or closing or hiding a window in which the item of data is displayed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining whether the particular user input has been received via the at least one user interface of the computing device comprises determining whether one or more particular keys or buttons have been pressed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining whether the particular user input has been received via the at least one user interface of the computing device comprises determining whether a particular password has been entered. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: subsequent to rendering the sensitive data inaccessible to the user during the second operating mode, restoring access to the sensitive data in response to determining that a particular password has been entered during a subsequently-executed login process of the computing device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: subsequent to rendering the sensitive data inaccessible to the user during the second operating mode, restoring access to the sensitive data in response to determining that a particular password has been entered and at least one user input behavior is present during a subsequently-executed login process of the computing device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining whether the particular user input has been received via the at least one user interface of the computing device comprises determining whether one or more user input behaviors are present during the shut-down process. ### Claim 14 A computer program product comprising a computer-readable memory having computer program logic recorded thereon that when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to perform a method for protecting sensitive data stored on a computing device, the method comprising: determining, during a shut-down process of the computing device, whether particular user input has been received via at least one user interface of the computing device, wherein the shut-down process of the computing device comprises a process during which an operating system and/or other software processes executing on the computing device are suspended or terminated and one or more hardware components of the computing device are being powered down; in response to a determination that the particular user input has been received, not activating, during the shut-down process of the computing device, a data protection mode of operation of the computing device in which sensitive data stored on the computing device is rendered one or more of invisible to a user and inaccessible to the user by performing one or more of: soft deleting an item of sensitive data, the soft deleting the item of sensitive data comprising deleting a link or file pointer to the item of sensitive data, the link or file pointer being restorable from a secure store; or closing or hiding a window in which the item of data is displayed; and in response to a determination that the particular user input has not been received, activating, during the shut-down process of the computing device, the data protection mode of the computing device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein determining whether the particular user input has been received via the at least one user interface of the computing device comprises determining whether one or more particular keys or buttons have been pressed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein determining whether the particular user input has been received via the at least one user interface of the computing device comprises determining whether a particular password has been entered. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising: subsequent to rendering the sensitive data inaccessible to the user during the data protection mode, restoring access to the sensitive data in response to determining that a particular password has been entered during a subsequently-executed login process of the computing device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises: subsequent to rendering the sensitive data inaccessible to the user during the data protection mode, restoring access to the sensitive data in response to determining that a particular password has been entered and at least one user input behavior is present during a subsequently-executed login process of the computing device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises: subsequent to rendering the sensitive data inaccessible to the user during the data protection mode, restoring access to the sensitive data in response to determining that the user has entered a second particular input during a subsequently-executed boot-up process of the computing device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein determining whether the particular user input has been received via the at least one user interface of the computing device comprises determining whether one or more input behaviors are present during the shut-down process.