Access control for secure portable storage device

• US 20080028452A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ATP Electronics Taiwan Inc.
• Original Assignee: ATP Electronics Taiwan Inc.
• Inventors: Kuo, Patty, Hsieh, Tim, Lee, Hondar
• Application Number:
  US11/637,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20080028452A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories

Abstract

The invention provides an access control for a secure portable storage device. The control method is applied to a host for accessing from the secure portable storage device. The control method includes the following steps. First, the host transmits a first key into a first temporary space in the file system of the secure portable storage device. Next, the secure portable storage device verifies if the first key is valid. If the first key is valid, an encrypted content key is duplicated into a second temporary space. Then, the encrypted content key is uploaded to the host. Afterward, the encrypted content key is decrypted into a content key. Lastly, an encrypted content data stored in the secure portable storage device is decrypted into a content data by use of the content key.

Claims

1. A secure portable storage device capable of being detachably connected to a host comprising a first decrypting module, a second decrypting module, and a pre-stored first key, said secure portable storage device comprising:

a file system, coupled to the host and configured to store an encrypted content data, having a first temporary space and a second temporary space;

a controlling/processing module being coupled to the file system; and

a memory, coupled to the controlling/processing module, storing therein an encrypted content key;

wherein when the host transmits the first key to the first temporary space of the secure portable storage device, the controlling/processing module accesses the thirst key and verifies if the first key is valid, and if the first key is verified to be valid, duplicates the encrypted content key into the second temporary space, and then the encrypted content key is stored in the second temporary space, the encrypted content is also uploaded to the host, the first decrypting module decrypts the encrypted content key into a content key by use of the first key, the second decrypting module decrypts the encrypted content data into content data by use of the content key.

2. The secure portable storage device of claim 1, wherein the memory also stores a second key, and the controlling/processing module compares the first key with the second key to verify if the first key is valid.

3. The secure portable storage device of claim 1, wherein the host also comprises a pre-stored third key, the first decrypting module decrypts the encrypted content key into the content key by use of the first key and the third key.

4. The secure portable storage device of claim 1, further comprising a buffer coupled to the controlling/processing module, wherein the controlling/processing module downloads the first key stored in the first temporary space to the buffer before verifying if the first key is valid.

5. The secure portable storage device of claim 1, wherein the controlling/processing module clears the first temporary space and the second temporary space before the host transmits the first key to the secure portable storage device.

6. The secure portable storage device of claim 5, wherein the controlling/processing module detects the change in the first temporary space, and executes the verifying of the first key in response to the change in the first temporary space.

7. The secure portable storage device of claim 1, wherein the file system complies with one selected from the group consisting of a FAT12 file system specification, a FAT16 file system specification, a FAT32 file system specification, and a NTFS file system specification.

8. The secure portable storage device of claim 1, wherein after the encrypted content key stored in the second temporary space is uploaded to the host, the host clears the second temporary space.

9. A control method for accessing from a secure portable storage device by a host comprising a pre-stored first key, the secure portable storage device, capable of being detachably connected to the host, comprising a memory therein storing an encrypted content key and a file system, the file system, coupled to the host and configured to store an encrypted content data, having a first temporary space and a second temporary space, said control method comprising the steps of:

transmitting the first key to the first temporary space;

verifying if the first key is valid, and if the first key is verified to be valid, duplicating the encrypted content key stored in the memory into the second temporary space;

uploading the encrypted content key stored in the second temporary space to the host;

decrypting the encrypted content key into a content key by use of the first key; and

decrypting the encrypted content data into a content data by use of the content key.

10. The control method of claim 9, wherein the memory also stores a second key, and the verifying of the first key is performed by comparing the first key with the second key.

11. The control method of claim 9, wherein the host also comprises a pre-stored third key, the decrypting of the encrypted content key into the content key is performed by use of the first key and the third key.

12. The control method of claim 9, wherein the first temporary space and the second temporary space are cleared before transmitting the first key to the first temporary space.

13. The control method of claim 12, wherein the verifying of the first key is performed in response to the change in the first temporary space.

14. The control method of claim 9, wherein the file system complies with one selected from the group consisting of a FAT12 file system specification, a FAT16 file system specification, a FAT32 file system specification, and a NTFS file system specification.

15. The control method of claim 9, wherein after the second key stored in the second temporary space is uploaded to the host, the second temporary space is cleared.