# US 2020/0401723 A1 · Data security through physical separation of data

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- Number: US 2020/0401723 A1
- Document ID: US20200401723A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/444,195
- Filed: 2019-06-18
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-18
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Li Li; Barnabas Kadlecsik; Itzhack Goldberg; Su Liu; Etai Lev Ran
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200401723A1

## CPC

- G06F 21/6245: {Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes}
- G06F 21/64: Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
- G06F 21/6254: {by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification}
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A data security method may include storing user data to a first device and storing metadata corresponding to the user data to a second device. The method may further include making a first determination that at least one device selected from the group of the first device and the second device is not in communication with a third device. The method may further include disabling utilization of the user data in response to the first determination.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
storing user data to a first device;
storing metadata corresponding to the user data to a second device;
making a first determination that at least one device selected from the group of the first device and the second device is not in communication with a third device;
and disabling utilization of the user data in response to the first determination.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the third device is the first device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the third device is the second device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein disabling utilization of the user data further comprises displaying a message on at least one selected from the group of the first device, the second device, and the third device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein making the first determination further comprises making a second determination that at least one device selected from the group of the first device and the second device is not using a predetermined communication path to communicate with the third device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined communication path is a predetermined data cable.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined communication path is a predetermined network.

### Claim 8

A method comprising:
storing user data to a first device,
wherein the user data has been separated from corresponding metadata,
wherein the corresponding metadata is not stored on the first device;
making a first determination that the first device is not in communication with a discrete device,
wherein the corresponding metadata is stored on the discrete device;
and in response to the first determination, disabling utilization of the user data.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein disabling utilization of the user data further comprises displaying on the first device a message corresponding to the first device not being in communication with the discrete device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein making the first determination further comprises making a second determination that the first device is not using a predetermined communication path to communicate with the discrete device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined communication path is a predetermined data cable.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined communication path is a predetermined network.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising establishing communication with the discrete device; and
enabling utilization of the user data.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising establishing communication with the discrete device; and
storing user data obtained from the discrete device to the first device.

### Claim 15

A method comprising:
storing metadata to a second device,
wherein the metadata has been separated from user data to which the metadata corresponds,
wherein the user data is not stored on the second device;
making a first determination that the second device is not in communication with a discrete device,
wherein the user data is stored on the discrete device;
and in response to the first determination, disabling utilization of the user data.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein disabling utilization of the user data further comprises displaying on the second device a message corresponding to the second device not being in communication with the discrete device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein making the first determination further comprises making a second determination that the second device is not using a predetermined communication path to communicate with the discrete device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined communication path is a predetermined data cable.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined communication path is a predetermined network.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising establishing communication with the discrete device; and
enabling utilization of the user data.