Securing Resumption from Sleep Mode Using a Storage Medium Authentication Credential

An apparatus for securing a persistent storage medium of a computer system, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed, cause:
• upon detecting that the computer system has been instructed to transition from a sleep state to a working state, a storage medium access module obtaining, from a user of said computer system, an authentication credential required to access said persistent storage medium;
• upon successful validation of the authentication credential, the storage medium access module causing the computer system to transition from the sleep state to the working state;
• and
• upon being unable to successfully validate the authentication credential, the storage medium access module causing the computer system to remain in the sleep state.

A method for securing a persistent storage medium of a computer system, comprising:

• upon detecting that the computer system has been instructed to transition from a sleep state to a working state, a storage medium access module obtaining, from a user of said computer system, an authentication credential required to access said persistent storage medium;
• upon successful validation of the authentication credential, the storage medium access module causing the computer system to transition from the sleep state to the working state;
• and
• upon being unable to successfully validate the authentication credential, the storage medium access module causing the computer system to remain in the sleep state.