Remote disablement of a computer system
AssigneeLenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
InventorsDavid C. Challener, Howard Locker, Randall S. Springfield
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Abstract
Methods and arrangements for ensuring that, when a computer system is stolen or otherwise misplaced, the system is rendered unusable (i.e., locked down). Conventional solutions have required software running on the system to perform the lockdown action, but in accordance with at least one preferred embodiment of the present invention is the linkage of TPM (Trusted Platform Module) and AMT (Active Management Technology) solutions whereby an AMT arrangement can remove secure data or identifiers so that any encrypted data present on the system will become unusable.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- detecting a computer system connection to a network;
- thereafter remotely disabling a computer system component taken from the group consisting essentially of:
- an encryption component, and a security-based component;
- said disabling being performed when the computer system is not fully booted.
A system comprising:
- a main memory;
- a network interface which connects with a network;
- and
- an arrangement for effecting disablement of a system component responsive to a network command;
- said arrangement for effecting disablement acting to disable a computer system component taken from the group consisting essentially of:
- an encryption component, and a security-based component;
- said arrangement for effecting disablement acting to disable said system component when said system is not fully booted.
A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method comprising:
- detecting a computer system connection to a network;
- thereafter remotely disabling a computer system component taken from the group consisting essentially of:
- an encryption component, and a security-based component;
- said disabling being performed when the computer system is not fully booted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.