Data protection system

• US 10,055,596 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2015
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Czamara, Michael Phillip, Gardner, Brock Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiferaw, Eleni A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Steinle, Andrew J
• Application Number:
  US14/733,823
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/75 by inhibiting the analysis of circuitry or operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/87 by means of encapsulation, e.g. for integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

A storage device of a data center may protect data stored on a storage medium of the storage device using a data security mechanism. The data security mechanism may include a connection detection component and a storage destruction mechanism. The connection detection component may be configured to detect whether the storage device is physically connected to another device (e.g., a storage server) of a data center. The storage destruction mechanism may be configured to destroy at least a portion of the data stored on the storage device in response to the connection detection component detecting that the storage device is physical disconnected from the other device.

Claims

1. A data center, comprising:

a signal generator configured to generate a proximity signal;

a plurality of storage servers comprising a plurality of storage devices having respective data security mechanisms, each data security mechanism comprising;

a detection component comprising;

a connection detection component configured to;

detect whether a respective storage device of the plurality of storage devices is physically connected to a respective storage server of the plurality of storage servers; and

output a disconnection signal if the respective storage device is physically disconnected from the respective storage server; and

a proximity detection component configured to;

detect the proximity signal;

determine, based at least in part on a detected signal strength of the proximity signal at the storage device, whether the respective storage device is within a threshold distance from the signal generator;

in response to determining that the respective storage device is within the threshold distance from the signal generator, provide an override indication; and

in response to determining that the respective storage device is outside of the threshold distance from the signal generator, refrain from providing the override indication,

wherein the detection component is configured to, in response to the disconnection signal;

send a destruction signal to a storage destruction mechanism in the absence of the override indication;

override sending the destruction signal in response to the override indication, overriding comprising refraining from sending the destruction signal; and

the storage destruction mechanism configured to, in response to receiving the destruction signal from the detection component, destroy at least a portion of data stored on a storage medium of the respective storage device.

2. The data center of claim 1, wherein at least one connection detection component is integrated within a respective storage device of the plurality of storage devices, and

wherein to detect whether the respective storage device is physically connected to a respective storage server, the at least one connection detection component is configured to detect one or more of:

a physical disconnection between the respective storage device and a data connection to the respective storage server,

a physical disconnection between the respective storage device and a power connection to the respective storage server, or

a physical disconnection between the respective storage device and a mount portion of the respective storage server.

3. The data center of claim 1, wherein at least one connection detection component is external to a respective storage device of the plurality of storage devices, and

wherein to detect whether the respective storage device is physically connected to a respective storage server, the at least one connection detection component is configured to detect one or more of:

a physical disconnection between the at least one connection detection component and the respective storage device, or

a physical disconnection between the at least one connection detection component and the respective storage server.

4. The data center of claim 1, wherein at least one connection detection component is integrated into a connector that is configured to be connected to an interface of a respective storage device of the plurality of storage devices, wherein the at least one connection detection component is configured to generate the disconnection signal in response to being physically disconnected from the storage device, and wherein the disconnection signal is a wireless signal.

5. The data center of claim 1, wherein, to destroy the at least a portion of the data stored on the storage medium, the storage destruction mechanism is configured to render the storage medium nonfunctional.

6. The data center of claim 5, wherein, to render the storage medium nonfunctional, the storage destruction mechanism is configured to mechanically damage at least a portion of the storage medium, chemically damage at least a portion of the storage medium, or any combination thereof.

7. The data center of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of computers configured to implement at least a portion of a network-based storage service, wherein the network-based storage service is configured to store respective data objects at the plurality of storage devices on behalf of a plurality of different clients.

8. A storage device, comprising:

a storage medium configured to store data and provide data in response to access requests to the storage device, wherein the storage device is configured to physically connect to another device;

a detection component comprising;

a proximity detection component configured to;

detect a proximity signal generated by a signal generator;

determine, based in part on a detected signal strength of the proximity signal at the storage device, whether the storage device is within a threshold distance from the signal generator;

in response to determining that the storage device is within the threshold distance from the signal generator, provide an override indication; and

in response to determining that the respective storage device is outside of the threshold distance from the signal generator, refrain from providing the override indication,

wherein the detection component is configured to, in response receiving a disconnection signal indicating that the storage device has been physically disconnected from the other device;

send a destruction signal to a storage destruction mechanism in the absence of the override indication; and

override sending a destruction signal in response to the override indication, overriding comprising refraining from sending the destruction signal; and

the storage destruction mechanism configured to;

in response to receiving the destruction signal from the detection component, destroy at least a portion of data stored on the storage medium.

9. The storage device of claim 8, wherein the detection component is configured to receive the disconnection signal from a connection detection component coupled to an interface of the storage device.

10. The storage device of claim 9, wherein the interface is a data interface configured to receive the access requests and the data, and to provide the data.

11. The storage device of claim 9, wherein the interface is a power interface configured to provide power to the storage medium.

12. The storage device of claim 11, further comprising an internal power source, wherein the internal power source is configured to provide power to the storage destruction mechanism when the storage device is disconnected from the other device.

13. The storage device of claim 12, wherein the internal power source is further configured to provide power to the storage medium to facilitate the storage destruction mechanism destroying the at least a portion of the data.

14. The storage device of claim 12, wherein the internal power source comprises a spring-based mechanism, and wherein the internal power source is configured to generate power using a decompression of the spring to facilitate the storage destruction mechanism destroying the at least a portion of the data.

15. The storage device of claim 9, wherein the interface is a dedicated interface configured to indicate a connection to the other device.

16. The storage device of claim 8, wherein the storage destruction mechanism is further configured to, in response to a presence of a hold pin in the storage device, or in response to receipt of a passcode, refrain from destroying the at least a portion of data stored on the storage medium.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a detection component, an indication of a connection between a storage device and an external device, the storage device including a destruction mechanism;

after receiving the indication of the connection, receiving, at the detection component, a disconnection signal indicating that the storage device is disconnected from the external device;

determining, at a proximity detection component of the detection component, whether a proximity signal generated by a signal generator is detected;

in response to determining that the proximity signal is detected, determining at the proximity detection component, based at least in part on a detected signal strength of the proximity signal, whether the storage device is within a threshold distance from the signal generator;

in response to determining at the proximity detection component that the storage device is within the threshold distance from the signal generator, providing by the detection component, an override indication;

in response to determining at the proximity detection component that the storage device is outside of the threshold distance from the signal generator, refrain from providing, by the detection component, the override indication;

in response to the disconnection signal, the detection component;

sending a destruction signal to the destruction mechanism in the absence of the override indication, wherein at least a portion of data stored on a storage medium of the storage device is destroyed based at least in part on the destruction signal; and

refraining from sending the destruction signal in response to the override indication.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein destroying the at least a portion of the data is further based on the destruction mechanism failing to receive a passcode after determining that the connection has been lost, a hold pin being absent within the destruction mechanism, or both.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein detection component is configured to detect the proximity signal periodically, the method further comprising:

in response to determining that the proximity signal is not detected during a particular time duration, the detection component refraining from providing the override indication.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising in response to determining that the proximity signal is not detected, the detection component refraining from providing the override indication.