System and method for programmable removal of sensitive information from computing systems

• US 20020077999A1
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Communication Technologies, Inc. (Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Communication Technologies, Inc. (Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fergus, Joseph E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,725,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen

Abstract

System and method for programmable removal of information from a computing system. One or more information removal options may be selected on a computing device. A purge script file based on the selected one or more information removal options is generated. A purge of information from a computing system is initiated by execution of the purge script file. The purge of information may also be automatically initiated by selection of one or more hotkeys. The purge of information may also be automatically initiated by detecting a preselected number of unsuccessful logon attempts to the at least one computing system and then automatically initiating the purge of information. A plurality purge script files may be generated where each generated purge script file is based on different preselected information removal options. The initiating of the purge of information may be performed by execution of a selected one of the plurality of purge script files. The purge script files define the information to be purged.

Claims

1. A method for programmable removal of information from a computing system comprising:

selecting at least one information removal option, the selecting being performed on a computing device;

generating a purge script file based on the selected at least one information removal option; and

initiating a purge of information from at least one computing system, the purge being performed by execution of the purge script file.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting the at least one information removal option using a graphical user interface (GUI) on the computing device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting comprises at least one of selecting to purge at least one disk drive, selecting to purge at least one directory, selecting to purge at least one file, selecting to purge files of at least one file type, selecting to purge all free space of at least one disk drive, selecting to purge the operating system, selecting a number of overwrites desired during the purge, selecting to clear file attributes before the purge, selecting to delete the purge script file after the purge, selecting at least one hotkey that will cause the initiating of the purge of information, selecting a number of unsuccessful logon attempts to occur before automatic initiation of the purge, and selecting a purge confirmation menu to appear after the initiating but before the purge is performed.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating at least one command for each selected at least one information removal option, the at least one command being generated during generation of the purge script file and being placed in the purge script file.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising initiating the purge of information upon selection of at least one hotkey.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the at least one hotkey comprises a hotkey modifier and a key on a keyboard.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the hotkey modifier comprises at least one of a Shift key, a Windows key, an Alt key, and a Ctrl key.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one computing system comprises the at least one computing device.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one computing system comprises at least one remote computing device operably connected to the at least one computing device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one remote computing device and the at least one computing device are operably connected in a network.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the network is a wireless network.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising automatic initiation of the purge of information when a preselected number of unsuccessful logon attempts to at least one computing system occurs.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a plurality of purge script files, each generated plurality of purge script files being based on different preselected at least one information removal option.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising selecting one of the plurality of purge script files, the initiating of the purge of information being performed by execution of the selected one of the plurality of purge script files.

16. The article according to claim 15, further comprising generating at least one command for each selected at least one information removal option, the at least one command being generated during generation of the purge script file and being placed in the purge script file.

17. The article according to claim 15, further comprising initiating the purge of information upon detecting the selection of at least one hotkey.

18. The article according to claim 15, further comprising detecting a preselected number of unsuccessful logon attempts to the at least one computing system, automatically initiating the purge of information after the detecting.

19. The article according to claim 15, further comprising generating a plurality purge script files, each generated plurality of purge script files being based on different preselected at least one information removal option.

20. The article according to claim 19, further comprising receiving a selection of one of the plurality of purge script files, the initiating of the purge of information being performed by execution of the selected one of the plurality of purge script files.

15. An article comprising a storage medium having instructions stored therein, the instructions when executed causing a computing device to perform:

receiving selections for at least one information removal option;

generating a purge script file based on the selected at least one information removal option; and

initiating a purge of information from at least one computing system, the purge being performed by execution of the purge script file.

21. A system for programmable removal of information comprising:

at least one processing device;

at least one storage device operably connected to at least one processing device; and

at least one data entry device operably connected to at least one processing device,

wherein at least one information removal option may be selected using the at least one data entry device, at least one processing device generating a purge script file based on the selected at least one information removal option and initiating a purge of information from at least one storage device by executing the purge script file.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein one at least one processing device performs the generating and executing to purge information on at least one storage device operably connected to a second at least one processing device.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein at least one computing device initiates the purge of information upon detecting the selection of at least one hotkey at the at least one data input device.

24. The system according to claim 21, wherein at least one computing device automatically initiates the purge of information after detecting a preselected number of unsuccessful logon attempts to at least one computing system.

25. The system according to claim 21, wherein at least one computing device generates a plurality purge script files, each generated plurality of purge script files being based on different preselected at least one information removal option.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein at least one data input device receives a selection of one of the plurality of purge script files, the initiating of the purge of information being performed by execution of the selected one of the plurality of purge script files by at least one computing device.

27. The system according to claim 21, wherein the at least one data entry device comprises at least one of a keyboard, and a mouse.