Virtual machine creation for removable storage devices

• US 20080163208A1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Burr, Jeremy, Ostrovsky, Brian
• Application Number:
  US11/647,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20080163208A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45587 Isolation or security of virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a removable storage device may be detected at a computer platform. The removable storage device may then be authenticated as a trusted device, and a secure virtual machine environment may be created within the computer platform in connection with the removable storage device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting a removable storage device at a computer platform;

authenticating the removable storage device as a trusted device; and

creating, in response to said detection and authentication, a secure virtual machine environment within the computer platform in connection with the removable storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

loading an operating system into the secure virtual machine environment.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

launching, via the operating system, a user application within the secure virtual machine environment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

launching, via a basic input/output system associated with the computer platform, a user application within the secure virtual machine environment.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a user file from the secure virtual machine environment.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authorizing creation of the secure virtual machine environment for the removable storage device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the removable storage device is associated with at least one of:

(i) a flash drive, (ii) a micro hard-disk drive, (iii) a serial port device, (iv) a parallel port device, (v) a memory card, (vi) an optical disk drive, (vii) a solid state storage device, (viii) a molecular based memory device, (ix) a network device, or (x) a wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the removable storage device is detected via a network.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor adapted to support a plurality of secure virtual machine environments;

a detection unit to detect a removable storage device; and

an authentication unit to authenticate the removable storage device as a trusted device, wherein a secure virtual machine environment is created, in response to said detection and authentication, in connection with the removable storage device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of the following is to be retrieved from the removable storage device:

(i) an operating system, (ii) a user application, or (iii) a user file.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a virtual machine monitor to instantiate the secure virtual machine environment for the removable storage device.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the removable storage device is associated with at least one of:

(i) a flash drive, (ii) a micro hard-disk drive, (iii) a serial port device, (iv) a parallel port device, (v) a memory card, (vi) an optical disk drive, (vii) a solid state storage device, (viii) a molecular based memory device, (ix) a network device, or (x) a wireless device.

13. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in the following:

detection of a removable storage device at a computer platform,

authentication of the removable storage device as a trusted device, and

creation, in response to said detection and authentication, of a secure virtual machine environment within the computer platform in connection with the removable storage device.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein execution of the instructions further results in:

loading of an operating system into the secure virtual machine environment.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein execution of the instructions further results in:

launching, via the operating system, of a user application within the secure virtual machine environment.

16. The medium of claim 13, wherein execution of the instructions further results in:

launching, via a basic input/output system associated with the computer platform, a user application within the secure virtual machine environment.

17. The medium of claim 13, wherein execution of the instructions further results in:

accessing a user file from the secure virtual machine environment.

18. The medium of claim 13, wherein the removable storage device is associated with at least one of:

(i) a flash drive, (ii) a micro hard-disk drive, (iii) a serial port device, (iv) a parallel port device, (v) a memory card, (vi) an optical disk drive, (vii) a solid state storage device, (viii) a molecular based memory device, (ix) a network device, or (x) a wireless device.

19. A system, comprising:

a processor adapted to support a plurality of secure virtual machine environments;

an internal storage device to be associated with a first secure virtual machine environment;

a detection unit to detect a removable storage device; and

an authentication unit to authenticate the removable storage device as a trusted device, wherein a second secure virtual machine environment is created, in response to said detection and authentication, in connection with the removable storage device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the removable storage device is associated with at least one of:

(i) a flash drive, (ii) a micro hard-disk drive, (iii) a serial port device, (iv) a parallel port device, (v) a memory card, (vi) an optical disk drive, (vii) a solid state storage device, (viii) a molecular based memory device, (ix) a network device, or (x) a wireless device.

21. A method, comprising:

coupling a removable storage device with a computer platform;

authenticating the removable storage device as a trusted device; and

accessing the computer platform via a secure virtual machine environment created in response to said authentication.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the removable storage device is associated with at least one of:

(i) a flash drive, (ii) a micro hard-disk drive, (iii) a serial port device, (iv) a parallel port device, (v) a memory card, (vi) an optical disk drive, (vii) a solid state storage device, (viii) a molecular based memory device, (ix) a network device, or (x) a wireless device.