Hardware protection for encrypted strings and protection of security parameters
OwnerDavid Pohminventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment, a disk drive is provided that is adapted for security authentication. The disk drive includes: a non-volatile memory storing object code; a processor for retrieving the stored object code; a decryption engine for decrypting a retrieved shared secret from the object code; and a first memory for storing the decrypted retrieved shared secret; wherein the processor is configured to overwrite the written decrypted retrieved shared secret after it has been used in an authentication procedure.
Claims20
A disk drive for data storage adapted for security authentication, comprising:
- a non-volatile memory storing object code for booting up a computer device;
- a processor to retrieve the stored object code during boot up of the computer device, the processor identifying a shared secret from the object code;
- a decryption engine decrypts retrieved shared secret from the object code within the disk drive and without outside intervention;
- and
- a first memory for storing the decrypted retrieved shared secret in clear text form, wherein the processor is configured to overwrite the written decrypted retrieved shared secret after it has been used in an authentication procedure.
A method of data storage implemented by a disk drive which includes a non-volatile memory, a processor with a decryption engine, and a first memory, the method, comprising:
- within the disk drive, retrieving object code from the non-volatile memory for booting up a computer device during boot up of the computer device, the object code containing an encrypted secret identified by the processor;
- decrypting the encrypted retrieved secret within the decryption engine within the disk drive and without outside intervention;
- writing the decrypted retrieved secret to the first memory in clear text form;
- using the decrypted retrieved secret to authenticate the disk drive to a host;
- and
- writing over the decrypted retrieved secret to erase it from the memory.
A digital processing system, comprising:
- a host;
- a bus coupled to the host;
- and
- a magnetic hard disk drive coupled to the bus, the magnetic hard disk drive including:
- a non-volatile memory storing object code for booting up a computer device;
- a processor to retrieve the stored object code during boot up of the computer device, the processor identifying a shared secret from the object code;
- a decryption engine decrypts retrieved shared secret from the object code within the disk drive and without outside intervention;
- a first memory for storing the decrypted retrieved shared secret n clear text form, wherein the processor is configured to overwrite the written decrypted retrieved shared secret after it has been used in an authentication procedure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.