Method and apparatus for securing data stored on a removable storage medium of a computer system

• US 20070118708A1
• Filed: 01/22/2007
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kang, Seong
• Application Number:
  US11/655,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20070118708A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/164
• 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: G06F 2221/2121 Chip on media, e.g. a disk or tape with a chip embedded in its case

Abstract

A method or apparatus can reduce or prevent unauthorized data access by securing data stored on a hard disk of a computer system. The method can include requesting a user to enter a password if the computer system is powered on under the condition that a password for security of the hard disk of the computer system is previously stored and data previously written on the hard disk is converted into a specific format for security and stored on the hard disk of the computer system, determining whether the password entered by the user corresponds to the previously stored password, storing the determined result, and selectively reading and outputting the format-converted data stored on the hard disk upon the user requests according to the determined result. The requested data can be output to a monitor. User write operation requests can operate according to the determined result.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor that operates application programs; and

a removable storage device coupled to the processor and configured to store data accessible to the processor, wherein the removable storage device is provided a second password using the processor, wherein the removable storage device stores data upon a write data access request, wherein the removable storage device outputs data responsive to a read data access request when a first password corresponds to the second password, and wherein the removable storage device outputs the encrypted data responsive to the read data access request when the first password does not correspond to the second password.

2. A method for securing data stored on a hard disk of a portable computer system, comprising:

providing a display unit of the portable computer system having a display module;

providing a main unit rotatably coupled to the display unit to move between an open position and a closed position of the portable computer system, wherein the main unit includes a user input device that includes a keyboard style device and a processor coupled to the hard disk and mounted on a main board, wherein the processor operates an operating system and application program that output data for display to a user on the display module;

converting data requested to be written by the user into a predetermined format for security when the user requests a write operation after booting of said portable computer system is completed; and

storing the security format-converted data on said hard disk of said portable computer system itself.

3. A method for securing data stored on a hard disk of a computer system, comprising:

a) requesting a user to enter a password when a password for security of said computer system is previously registered, wherein data to be written to the hard disk is converted into a specific format for security when stored on said hard disk of said computer system;

b) determining whether said password entered by said user is the same as said previously registered security password and storing the determined result;

c) reading the data stored on said hard disk in said specific format for security if said user requests it to be read from said hard disk.