Method and device for securing user data on a data storage device

A method for unlocking a data storage device comprising:

• maintaining, by the data storage device, an operational status of the data storage device selected from at least locked and unlocked;
• maintaining, by a server application running on a server, a security status of the data storage device selected from secured and unsecured;
• changing, responsive to a message from a user application, the security status from secured to unsecured;
• transceiving, through a data port of the data storage device, data between a data source and the data storage device;
• storing, to a non-volatile storage medium of the data storage device, secured data received from the data source;
• wirelessly communicating, through a wireless communication port of the data storage device, between the server and the data storage device;
• and
• in response to the operational status of the data storage device being locked:
• transmitting, via the wireless communication port, a security status enquiry message to the server;
• receiving, via the wireless communication port, from the server, the security status of the data storage device;
• receiving, from the user application, an unlock request comprising verified user credentials;
• in response to the security status indicating that the data storage device is secured,
• transitioning the operational status of the data storage device from locked to unlocked;
• and
• in response to the security status indicating that the data storage device is unsecured, maintaining the operational status of the data storage device as locked.

A data storage device comprising:

• a data port configured to transceive data between a data source and the data storage device;
• a non-volatile storage medium configured to store secured data received from the data source;
• a wireless communication port, configured to wirelessly communicate between a server and the data storage device, wherein:
• the data storage device is configured to maintain an operational status of the data storage device selected from at least locked and unlocked;
• and
• a server application running on the server is configured to:
• maintain a security status of the data storage device selected from secured and unsecured;
• and
• change, responsive to a message from a user application, the security status from secured to unsecured;
• means to transmit a security status enquiry message to the server;
• means to receive from the server the security status of the data storage device;
• means to receive, from the user application, an unlock request comprising verified user credentials;
• means to, in response to the security status indicating that the data storage device is secured, transition the operational status of the data storage device from locked to unlocked;
• and
• means to, in response to the security status indicating that the data storage device is unsecured, maintaining the operational status of the data storage device as locked.