System for access control to hidden storage area in a disk drive

• US 20020103964A1
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conseil National De Recherches Du Canada, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Universite Laval
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Igari, Fubito
• Granted Patent: US 6,742,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/80 in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier

Abstract

A disclosed disk drive has a disk assigned with a plurality of hidden storage areas. The disk drive includes an authentication module which performs authentication processing for each hidden storage area in response to an access request from a host system. The authentication module exchanges information with the host system and performs authentication processing to determine access permission for each hidden storage area by using key information and unique information defined for each hidden storage area.

Claims

1. A disk drive comprising:

a disk storage medium having a plurality of access limited hidden storage areas other than a normal storage area;

a controller which, in response to a request to access each of said hidden storage areas from an external system, performs authentication processing for determining access permission for each of said hidden storage areas by using specific authentication information defined for each of said hidden storage areas; and

a read/write mechanism which performs a read/write operation for said disk storage medium under control of said controller and performs a read/write operation for each of said hidden storage areas only when an access is permitted according to a result of said authentication processing.

2. The disk drive according to claim 1, wherein

each specific authentication information is stored in a specified storage area on said disk storage medium corresponding to each of said hidden storage areas.

3. The disk drive according to claim 1, further comprising;

a memory device which stores said specific authentication information corresponding to each of said hidden storage areas.

4. The disk drive according to claim 1, wherein

each specific authentication information includes unique information defined for each hidden storage area and key information for generating encryption information including said unique information.

5. The disk drive according to claim 1, wherein

specific authentication information includes unique information defined for each hidden storage area, key information for generating encryption information including said unique information, and a drive ID for computing said unique information by means of decryption processing common to each hidden storage area through the use of said key information.

6. The disk drive according to claim 4, wherein

said controller includes an identification module for executing said identification processing;

said identification module

performs a specified encryption operation by using a random number and said unique information corresponding to a hidden storage area to be accessed;

sends said key information and said random number to said external system in order to compute information equivalent to said unique information;

receives an encryption result using information equivalent to said random number and said unique information from said external system; and

compares an encryption result from said external system with an encryption result from said encryption device and performs determination processing to permit an access to a hidden storage area when a match is found and to reject an access when no match is found.

7. The disk drive according to claim 6, wherein

said identification module generates a random number or a pseudo-random number and sends it to said external system.

8. The disk drive according to claim 5, wherein

said controller includes an identification module for executing said identification processing;

said identification module

performs a specified encryption operation by using a random number and said unique information corresponding to a hidden storage area to be accessed;

sends said key information, said drive ID, and said random number to said external system;

receives an encryption result from said external system when said external system performs decryption processing using said key information and said drive ID to compute information equivalent to said unique information and performs an encryption operation using said information and said random number; and

compares an encryption result from said external system with an encryption result from said encryption device and performs determination processing to permit an access to a hidden storage area when a match is found and to reject an access when no match is found.

9. The disk drive according to claim 4, wherein

said controller updates said key information and said unique information in response to an update request from said external system.

10. The disk drive according to claim 5, wherein

said controller updates said key information and said unique information in response to an update request from said external system.

11. A method of an authentication for access control to hidden storage areas in a disk storage medium, said method comprising:

performing authentication processing to determine access permission for each of said hidden storage areas by using specific authentication information defined for each of said hidden storage areas when an external system requests an access to each of said hidden storage areas; and

performing a read/write operation for each of said hidden storage areas on said disk storage medium only when an access is permitted as a result of said authentication processing.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

each specific authentication information includes unique information defined for each hidden storage area and key information for generating encryption information including said unique information;

said authentication processing

performs a specified encryption operation by using a random number and said unique information corresponding to a hidden storage area to be accessed;

sends said key information and said random number to said external system in order to compute information equivalent to said unique information;

receives an encryption result using information equivalent to said random number and said unique information from said external system; and

compares an encryption result from said external system with an encryption result from said encryption device and performs determination processing to permit an access to a hidden storage area when a match is found and to reject an access when no match is found.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein

specific authentication information includes unique information defined for each hidden storage area, key information for generating encryption information including said unique information, and a drive ID for computing said unique information by means of decryption processing common to each hidden storage area through the use of said key information;

said authentication processing

performs a specified encryption operation by using a random number and said unique information corresponding to a hidden storage area to be accessed;

sends said key information, said drive ID, and said random number to said external system;

receives an encryption result from said external system when said external system performs decryption processing using said key information and said drive ID to compute information equivalent to said unique information and performs an encryption operation using said information and said random number; and

compares an encryption result from said external system with an encryption result from said encryption device and performs determination processing to permit an access to a hidden storage area when a match is found and to reject an access when no match is found.