SYSTEM AND METHOD TO FORCE A MOBILE DEVICE INTO A SECURE STATE
First Claim
1. A method of forcing a mobile device into a secure state, comprising:
- waiting for a trigger, wherein the trigger is to be used as an indication to force the mobile device into a secure state;
determining that a trigger has occurred;
if a trigger has occurred, causing each application operating on the mobile device to immediately unreference sensitive objects;
performing secure garbage collection upon the unreferenced sensitive objects, wherein the secure garbage collection renders sensitive data associated with an unreferenced sensitive object unreadable; and
causing the mobile device to enter a secure state, in which the mobile device cannot be accessed without authorization.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for implementation on a mobile device to force the mobile device into a secure state upon detection or determination of a triggering event. Once it is determined that a triggering event has occurred, each application operating on the mobile device is caused to immediately unreference sensitive objects and a secure garbage collection operation is performed upon the unreferenced sensitive objects to render data associated therewith unreadable. The mobile device is then caused to enter a secure state, in which the mobile device cannot be accessed without authorization. A microprocessor within the mobile device is configured to determine the existence of the triggering event according to a configuration data structure and to perform the secure garbage collection.
-
Citations
35 Claims
-
1. A method of forcing a mobile device into a secure state, comprising:
-
waiting for a trigger, wherein the trigger is to be used as an indication to force the mobile device into a secure state;
determining that a trigger has occurred;
if a trigger has occurred, causing each application operating on the mobile device to immediately unreference sensitive objects;
performing secure garbage collection upon the unreferenced sensitive objects, wherein the secure garbage collection renders sensitive data associated with an unreferenced sensitive object unreadable; and
causing the mobile device to enter a secure state, in which the mobile device cannot be accessed without authorization. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A system for operation on a mobile device, wherein the mobile device includes memory for storing at least one object used by a software program to access sensitive information stored on the mobile device, the system comprising:
-
a configuration data structure to store information about at least one triggering event, wherein the triggering event is used as an indication to force the mobile device into a secure state;
a garbage collection module having a data access pathway to the configuration data structure and the memory; and
a processor executing the garbage collection module and having access to the memory, the processor being configured to cause at least one application operating on the mobile device to immediately unreference sensitive objects referenced by the at least one application in response to a determination that a triggering event has occurred based on the information stored in the configuration data structure, the processor being further configured to perform a secure garbage collection with respect to the unreferenced sensitive objects and to cause the mobile device to enter a secure state in which the mobile device cannot be accessed without authorization. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A mobile device comprising:
-
a microprocessor configured to execute a software program that handles sensitive information and to access a configuration data structure storing information about at least one triggering event, wherein the triggering event is used as an indication to force the mobile device into a secure state;
heap memory for storing at least one object used by the software program to access the sensitive information; and
a garbage collection module operable on the microprocessor and having a data access pathway to the heap memory;
wherein the microprocessor is configured to cause the software program to immediately unreference the at least one object in response to determination by the microprocessor that a triggering event has occurred and to cause the garbage collection module to perform a secure garbage collection in respect of the unreferenced object, and wherein the microprocessor is further configured to cause the mobile device to enter a secure state following performance of the secure garbage collection. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
-
Specification