# US 2019/0171820 A1 · Securing Resumption from Sleep Mode Using a Storage Medium Authentication Credential > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0171820 A1 - Document ID: US20190171820A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/830,778 - Filed: 2017-12-04 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04 - Assignees: Phoenix Technologies Ltd. - Applicants: Phoenix Technologies, Ltd. - Inventors: Terry Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190171820A1 ## CPC - G06F 21/575: {Secure boot} - G06F 9/4406: {Loading of operating system} - G06F 9/4418: {Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake} - G06F 21/44: Program or device authentication - G06F 11/2284: {by power-on test, e.g. power-on self test [POST]} - G06F 2221/034: Test or assess a computer or a system - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Approaches for securing a persistent storage medium of a computer system. A computer system is instructed to transition from a sleep state to a working state. In response, a storage medium access module obtains, from a user of the computer system, an authentication credential required to access a persistent storage medium of the computer system. Upon successful validation of the authentication credential, the storage medium access module causes the computer system to transition from the sleep state to the working state. Upon being unable to successfully validate the authentication credential, the storage medium access module causing the computer system to remain in the sleep state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 One or more non-transitory machine-readable storage mediums storing one or more sequences of instructions for securing a persistent storage medium of a computer system, which when executed by one or more processors, 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage mediums of claim 1, wherein the firmware causing the computer system to transition from the sleep state to the working state comprises: performing a CPU reset prior to performing Power On Self-Test (POST) operations. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage mediums of claim 1, wherein the firmware causing the computer system to transition from the sleep state to the working state comprises: restoring a state of memory for an operating system that was previously stored prior to the operating system executing on the computer system entering the sleep state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage mediums of claim 1, wherein storage medium access module obtains the authentication credential by causing a user interface, capable of receiving user input, to be displayed to the user of the computer system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage mediums of claim 1, wherein the firmware is UEFI firmware that satisfies requirements of a version of any specification issued by the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface Forum. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage mediums of claim 1, wherein said persistent storage medium is a solid-state device. ### Claim 7 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the firmware causing the computer system to transition from the sleep state to the working state comprises: performing a CPU reset prior to performing Power On Self-Test (POST) operations. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the firmware causing the computer system to transition from the sleep state to the working state comprises: restoring a state of memory for an operating system that was previously stored prior to the operating system executing on the computer system entering the sleep state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein storage medium access module obtains the authentication credential by causing a user interface, capable of receiving user input, to be displayed to the user of the computer system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the firmware is UEFI firmware that satisfies requirements of a version of any specification issued by the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface Forum. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said persistent storage medium is a solid-state device. ### Claim 13 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the firmware causing the computer system to transition from the sleep state to the working state comprises: performing a CPU reset prior to performing Power On Self-Test (POST) operations. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the firmware causing the computer system to transition from the sleep state to the working state comprises: restoring a state of memory for an operating system that was previously stored prior to the operating system executing on the computer system entering the sleep state. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein storage medium access module obtains the authentication credential by causing a user interface, capable of receiving user input, to be displayed to the user of the computer system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the firmware is UEFI firmware that satisfies requirements of a version of any specification issued by the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface Forum. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said persistent storage medium is a solid-state device.