Method and apparatus for securing computer mass storage data
First Claim
1. A system for securely storing computer system data comprising:
- a mass storage including a SATA device;
a host processor system including a SATA host, the host processor system executing an operating system and applications that produce and use data stored on the mass storage via the SATA host; and
a secure subsystem including a SATA complex, the secure subsystem being interposed between the SATA host of the host processor system and the SATA device of the mass storage,wherein the SATA complex includes a SATA device core that communicates with the SATA host of the host processor system when the operating system and applications are producing and using the data stored on the mass storage device.
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Abstract
In general, embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatuses for securely storing computer system data. Embodiments of the invention encrypt and decrypt SATA data transparently to software layers. That makes it unnecessary to make any software modifications to the file system, device drivers, operating system, or application. Encryption key management is performed either remotely on a centralized Remote Management System or locally. Embodiments of the invention implement background disk backups using snapshots. Additional security features that are included in embodiments of the invention include virus scanning, a virtual/network drive, a RAM drive and a port selector that provides prioritized and/or background access to SATA mass storage to a secure subsystem.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A system for securely storing computer system data comprising:
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a mass storage including a SATA device; a host processor system including a SATA host, the host processor system executing an operating system and applications that produce and use data stored on the mass storage via the SATA host; and a secure subsystem including a SATA complex, the secure subsystem being interposed between the SATA host of the host processor system and the SATA device of the mass storage, wherein the SATA complex includes a SATA device core that communicates with the SATA host of the host processor system when the operating system and applications are producing and using the data stored on the mass storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A standalone computer system, comprising:
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a host processor subsystem that executes an operating system and applications that produce and use host data, the host processor subsystem having an interface for causing the host data to be stored on and accessed from a mass storage device; a secure subsystem that communicates with the interface so as to control the storage and access of the host data transparently to and independently from the host processor subsystem, and wherein the secure subsystem selectively causes the host data to be stored on one of a RAM drive in volatile memory in the standalone computer system, a hard drive in the standalone computer system or a virtual drive on a network; and a motherboard to which the host processor subsystem and the secure subsystem are commonly attached. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification