US 5,375,243 AGranted

Hard disk password security system

AssigneeCompaq Computer Corporation

InventorsJames D. Parzych, Richard Tomaszewski, Norman P. Brown, Roger P. Anderson, David M. Douglas, Kenneth W. Stufflebeam

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A hard drive which prevents data access operations on the hard drive upon power up until the user enters a password. When the computer system is powered up, the hard drive spins up and is tested, responding only to a limited set of commands that do not permit data storage or retrieval operations. The password is located on the hard disk itself to prevent bypassing the hard drive's security using a new computer environment. When the user enters the correct password, the hard drive unlocks and operates as a conventional hard drive. If the user chooses, the hard drive may be unlocked by either of two passwords, one defined by the user and the other by the manufacturer. To obtain access to data areas during a locked state, a wipe data command is provided which overwrites all user data on the drive and unlocks the drive.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A hard disk drive having LOCKED and UNLOCKED states for use in a computer system, the hard disk drive comprising:

means on the hard disk drive for storing user data and a password value for operating of the hard disk drive;
means on the hard disk drive for receiving a plurality of commands including at least one password value from the computer system;
means on the hard disk drive for locking access to the hard disk drive to all but selected ones of said received plurality of commands while in a LOCKED state, one of said selected commands being an UNLOCK command and another of said selected commands being a WIPE DATA command;
means on the hard disk drive for comparing a password value received from the computer system with a stored password value upon receipt of said UNLOCK command and unlocking the hard disk drive if the compared password values are equal;
means for coupling to a microprocessor and for providing a WIPE DATA command to the hard disk drive from the microprocessor:
and
means on the hard disk drive while in a LOCKED state for overwriting all user data on said hard disk drive and then reset said hard disk drive to its UNLOCKED state upon receipt of said WIPE DATA command.

4 more elements

A computer system comprising:

a microprocessor;
means coupled to said microprocessor for storing program steps;
means coupled to said microprocessor for receiving a password value from a user;
means coupled to said microprocessor and said user password value receiving means for providing an UNLOCK command with said user password value;
a hard disk drive coupled to said microprocessor and said user password value receiving means, said hard disk drive having LOCKED and UNLOCKED states and including:
means on the hard disk drive for storing user data and a password value for operation of said hard disk drive;
means on the hard disk drive for receiving a plurality of commands from said microprocessor;
means on the hard disk drive for locking access to said hard disk drive to all but selected of said plurality of commands while in a LOCKED state, one of said selected commands being said UNLOCK command and another of said selected commands being a WIPE DATA command;
means on the hard disk drive for comparing a received user password value with a stored password value upon receipt of said UNLOCK command and unlocking said hard disk drive if the compared password values are equal;
means coupled to said microprocessor for providing a WIPE DATA command to said hard disk drive via said microprocessor;
and
means on said hard disk drive while in a LOCKED state for overwriting all user data on said hard disk drive and then reset said hard disk drive to its UNLOCKED state upon receipt of said WIPE DATA command.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/208,052Filed 7 Mar 1994 · continuation
Priority: 7 Oct 1991
Granted: 20 Dec 1994
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G06F 21/80
To assure secure storage of data: in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors
G06F 21/34
User authentication: involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
G06F 2211/007
Indexing scheme relating to details of data-processing equipment not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00: encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher,…
G06F 2211/1097
Indexing scheme relating to details of data-processing equipment not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00: boot, Start, Initialise, Power