System and method for storing a password recovery secret

A system for recovering a password with a password recovery secret stored on a power adapter, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• a first module configured to control the processor to request from a power adapter a password recovery secret stored in a memory of the power adapter, wherein the password recovery secret is associated with a computing device,
• wherein the password recovery secret is generated by encrypting the password and is used to recover the password,
• wherein the password is encrypted using a key comprising a universal unique identifier associated with the computing device,
• wherein the first module is further configured to control the processor to request a first part of the password recovery secret from the power adapter via a main electrical power interface that provides electricity adapted from an external electrical source,
• wherein the computing device retrieves the first part of the password recovery secret from the power adapter and a second part of the password recovery secret from a secure server over a network;
• a second module configured to control the processor to receive the password recovery secret from the memory of the power adapter;
• a third module configured to control the processor to recover a password based on the password recovery secret;
• a fourth module configured to control the processor to verify the received password recovery secret with an authentication server,
• wherein the password recovery secret is associated with an encrypted file system;
• and
• a fifth module configured to control the processor to decrypt at least part of an encrypted file system based on the password recovery secret.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to prompt a user to store a password recovery secret on a peripheral device, the instructions comprising:

• detecting that a peripheral device has been connected to a computing device;
• if the peripheral device does not have a stored password recovery secret associated with the computing device:
• prompting a user, via a display, to back up at least one password on the peripheral device;
• generating a password recovery secret associated with the computing device, wherein the password recovery secret is used to retrieve the user's password,
• wherein generating comprises encrypting the at least one password using a key comprising a universal unique identifier associated with the computing device;
• and
• transmitting the password recovery secret to the peripheral device for storage in memory of the peripheral device,
• wherein the computing device retrieves a first part of the password recovery secret from the peripheral device via an interface with the computing device, and retrieves a second part of the password recovery secret from a secure server over a network,
• wherein the interface provides electricity adapted from an external electrical source to the computing device, and
• wherein the peripheral device comprises a power adapter, an external hard drive, a network router, a smartphone, a mobile device, a remote control, an external monitor, or a printer.

A method of recovering a password with a password recovery secret stored on a peripheral device, the method comprising:

• requesting from a peripheral device a first part of a password recovery secret stored in a memory of the peripheral device, wherein the password recovery secret is generated by encrypting a password, and the password is encrypted using a key comprising a universal unique identifier associated with a computing device,
• retrieving a first part of the password recovery secret from the memory of the peripheral device via an interface with the computing device;
• wherein the interface provides electricity adapted from an external electrical source to the computing device;
• retrieving a second part of the password recovery secret from a secure server over a network;
• and
• retrieving a password using the password recovery secret,
• wherein the peripheral device comprises a power adapter, an external hard drive, a network router, a smartphone, a mobile device, a remote control, an external monitor, or a printer.

A power adapter comprising:

• a first interface configured to connect to an electrical source;
• a second interface configured to connect to a computing device;
• an intermediate module to adapt electricity from the electrical source for the computing device;
• a memory;
• and
• a third interface connected to the memory through which a first part of a password recovery secret associated with the computing device is received for storage in the memory, wherein the password recovery secret is used to retrieve a user password,
• wherein the password recovery secret is generated by encrypting the user password, wherein the password is encrypted using a key comprising a universal unique identifier associated with the computing device, and
• the computing device retrieves the first part of the password recovery secret from the memory and a second part of the password recovery secret from a secure server over a network.