System, method, and software for removable-media security

• US 20020104028A1
• Filed: 03/26/2002
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liebenow, Frank, Carlson, Carrie A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,910,137 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/202
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/122 involving the detection of an identification or authentication mark record carriers indicating unauthorised or prior use G11B23/28
• 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 20/00152 involving a password
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing

Abstract

A system and method for preventing access to a drive opening of a disk drive or unauthorized removal of a disk from the disk drive opening. The system comprises a drive having a drive opening and a disk tray movable between a retracted position preventing access to the opening and extended position allowing access to the opening. A software or hardware security module prevents the disk tray from being moved to the extended position to prevent access to the drive opening. The method for preventing a disk from being removed from a drive includes determining whether the disk is in the drive, determining whether a correct password has been entered, and preventing ejection of the disk by an ejector based upon those determinations.

Claims

1. A drive system comprising:

a drive having a drive opening and a component coupled to said drive so as to be movable between a first position for allowing access to said opening and a second position for preventing access to said opening; and

a security module configured to prevent said component from being moved to said first position to thereby prevent access to said opening.

2. The drive system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said drive is configured to read from or write to at least one medium in said drive opening, and wherein said system further includes an ejector configured to move said component between said first and second positions and a controller configured to activate said ejector to cause said ejector to move said component to said first position, and wherein said security module is further configured to prevent said controller from activating said ejector.

3. The drive system, as recited in claim 2, wherein said security module is configured to prevent said controller from activating said ejector when a password is set.

4. The drive system, as recited in claim 3, wherein said security module is configured to allow said controller to activate said ejector regardless of whether said password is set when the medium is not in said drive opening.

5. The drive system, as recited in claim 2, wherein said security module is configured to prevent said controller from activating said ejector when a password is set and the medium is in said drive opening.

6. The drive system, as recited in claim 2, further including a user-controlled switch configured to activate or deactivate said ejector.

7. The drive system, as recited in claim 6, wherein said security module is configured to disable said switch to thereby prevent said switch from activating said ejector when a password is set.

8. The drive system, as recited in claim 7, wherein said security module is configured to enable said switch regardless of whether said password is set when the medium is not in said drive opening.

9. The drive system, as recited in claim 6, wherein said security module is configured to disable said switch to thereby prevent said switch from activating said ejector when a password is set and the medium is in said drive opening.

10. The drive system, as recited in claim 2, wherein said controller includes:

at least one processor; and

memory operably associated with said processor.

11. The drive system, as recited in claim 10, wherein said security module includes a program of instructions stored in said memory and executable by said processor.

12. The drive system, as recited in claim 10, further including a program of instructions stored in said memory and executable by said processor for causing said processor to prevent said component from being moved to said first position.

14. The information handling system, as recited in claim 13, wherein said drive is configured to read from or write to at least one medium in said drive opening, and wherein said system further includes an ejector configured to move said component between said first and second positions and a controller configured to activate said ejector to cause said ejector to move said component to said first position, and wherein said security module is further configured to prevent said controller from activating said ejector.

15. The information handling system, as recited in claim 14, wherein said security module is configured to prevent said controller from activating said ejector when a password is set.

16. The information handling system, as recited in claim 15, wherein said security module is configured to allow said controller to activate said ejector regardless of whether said password is set when the medium is not in said drive opening.

17. The information handling system, as recited in claim 14, wherein said security module is configured to prevent said controller from activating said ejector when a password is set and the medium is in said drive opening.

18. The information handling system, as recited in claim 14, further including a user-controlled switch configured to activate or deactivate said ejector.

19. The information handling system, as recited in claim 18, wherein said security module is configured to disable said switch to thereby prevent said switch from activating said ejector when a password is set.

20. The information handling system, as recited in claim 19, wherein said security module is configured to enable said switch regardless of whether said password is set when the medium is not in said drive opening.

21. The information handling system, as recited in claim 18, wherein said security module is configured to disable said switch to thereby prevent said switch from activating said ejector when a password is set and the medium is in said drive opening.

22. The information handling system, as recited in claim 13, wherein said controller is said processor.

23. The information handling system, as recited in claim 13, wherein said security module is a software program storable in said memory.

24. The information handling system, as recited in claim 13, wherein said security module includes a program of instructions stored in said memory and executable by said processor.

25. The information handling system, as recited in claim 13, further including a program of instructions stored in said memory and executable by said processor for causing said processor to prevent said component from being moved to said first position.

27. The method, as recited in claim 26, wherein step (c) includes the step of preventing ejection of the medium from the drive if the medium is in the drive and if an incorrect password has been entered.

28. The method, as recited in claim 26, further including the step of determining, prior to steps (a)-(c), whether a media-eject button has been pressed.

29. The method, as recited in claim 28, further including the step of notifying a software program if the media-eject button has been pressed.

30. The method, as recited in claim 29, further including the step of determining, by the software program, whether a password has been set.

31. The method, as recited in claim 30, further including the step of performing, by the software program, steps (a)-(c) if a password has been set.

32. The method, as recited in claim 30, further including the step of activating, by the software program, the ejector if a password has not been set.

33. The method, as recited in claim 30, further including the step of disabling the media-eject button if the password has been set and if the medium is in the drive.

34. The method, as recited in claim 33, further including the step of enabling the media-eject button if a correct password has been entered.

35. The method, as recited in claim 26, wherein step (c) includes disabling a media-eject button.

37. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 36, wherein step (c) includes the step of preventing ejection of the medium from the drive if the medium is in the drive and if an incorrect password has been entered.

38. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 36, further including the step of determining, prior to steps (a)-(c), whether a media-eject button has been pressed.

39. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 38, further including the step of notifying a software program if the media-eject button has been pressed.

40. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 39, further including the step of determining, by the software program, whether a password has been set.

41. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 40, further including the step of performing, by the software program, steps (a)-(c) if a password has been set.

42. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 40, further including the step of activating, by the software program, the ejector if a password has not been set.

43. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 41, further including the step of disabling the media-eject button if the password has been set and if the medium is in the drive.

44. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 43, further including the step of enabling the media-eject button if a correct password has been entered.

45. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 36, wherein step (c) includes disabling a media-eject button.

13. An information handling system comprising:

at least one processor;

memory operably associated with said processor;

a drive having a drive opening and a component coupled to said drive so as to be movable between a first position for allowing access to said opening and a second position for preventing access to said opening; and

a security module configured to prevent said component from being moved to said first position to thereby prevent access to said opening.

26. A method for preventing a medium from being removed from a drive configured to read from or write to the medium, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) determining whether the medium is in the drive;

(b) determining whether a correct password has been entered; and

(c) preventing ejection of the medium by an ejector configured to eject the medium from the drive based upon the determinations made in steps (a) and (b).

36. A computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions for preventing a medium from being removed from a drive configured to read from or write to the medium, said program of instructions implementing the following method:

(a) determining whether the medium is in the drive;

(b) determining whether a correct password has been entered; and

(c) preventing ejection of the medium by an ejector configured to eject the medium from the drive based upon the determinations made in steps (a) and (b).

46. A drive system comprising:

drive means for reading from or writing to at least one medium in said drive means;

ejector means for ejecting the medium from said drive means;

controller means for activating or deactivating said ejector means wherein said ejector means ejects the medium from said drive means when said controller means activates said ejector means; and

security module means for preventing said controller means from activating said ejector means to thereby prevent said medium from being ejected from said drive means.