Computer security system
AssigneeNighthawk Electronics Limited
InventorDouglas Murray
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A security system for a computer (10) having at least one communications port (12) for connection to peripheral devices, includes a card reader (14). A switching means (22) connected to the card reader and connectible to the communications port, is operable to connect the card reader to the communications port in response to a command including protected routines which generate said command to cause the switching means to connect the card reader to the communications port. Suitable software compares data from a card read by the card reader with authorisation data held in the computer, to enable or disable further operation of the protected routine(s).
Claims12
A security system for a computer (10) having at least one external serial communications port (12),
- the external serial communications port comprising a plurality of inputs and outputs for connection to a peripheral device,
- the security system comprising:
- a card reader (14);
- switching means (22) connected to the card reader and connectable to the external serial communications port, the switching means being operable to connect the card reader to at least a portion of the inputs of the external serial communications port and to disconnect the same portion of the inputs from the peripheral device in response to a command including protected routines which generate said command to cause the switching means to connect the card reader to the at least a portion of the inputs of the external serial communications port;
- and
- means for comparing data, read from a card by the card reader, with authorization data held in the computer, to enable or disable further operation of the protected routine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.