System and method for facilitating unlocking a device connected locally to a client

A method for facilitating unlocking a device connected locally to a client, utilizing a server located remotely from the client and the device, wherein the device comprises an interface, a system partition and a secure data partition, the method comprising:

• receiving, at the client, a secure application from the system partition of the device;
• sending the secure application to the server over the network;
• receiving, at the client, at least one string descriptor request from the server over the network, wherein the at least one string descriptor request is associated with switching the interface of the device from a first interface type to a second interface type, the first interface type allowing an administrator user to unlock the device and preventing a non-administrator user from unlocking the device;
• directing the received at least one string descriptor request to the device;
• after the interface of the device is switched to the second interface type, receiving, at the client, an unlocking command from the server over the network;
• and
• directing the received unlocking command to the device, wherein the interface of the device is for unlocking the secure data partition of the device if the interface accepts the unlocking command.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processing system to perform a method for facilitating unlocking a device connected locally to a client, utilizing a server located remotely from the client and the device, wherein the device comprises an interface, a system partition and a secure data partition, the instructions operable, when executed by a processor, to:

• receive, at the client, a secure application from the system partition of the device;
• send the secure application to the server over the network;
• receive, at the client, at least one string descriptor request from the server over the network, wherein the at least one string descriptor request is associated with switching the interface of the device from a first interface type to a second interface type, the first interface type allowing an administrator user to unlock the device and preventing a non-administrator user from unlocking the device;
• direct the received at least one string descriptor request to the device;
• after the interface of the device is switched to the second interface type, receive, at the client, an unlocking command from the server over the network;
• and
• direct the received unlocking command to the device, wherein the interface of the device is for unlocking the secure data partition of the device if the interface accepts the unlocking command.