Secure direct platter access

• US 20090198932A1
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Beaver, Donald Rozinak
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories

Abstract

Bulk data transfers by directly accessing a persistent and secured area on the data storage device, e.g., a disk drive having a magnetic storage medium, without relying on the system operating system to execute its read/write operations. For a disk drive, the Protected Area Run Time Interface Extension (PARTIES) technology is applied to create and organize a secured sub-area within a secured storage area. The secured sub-area is a data buffer to and from which large data file transfers can be made with data authenticity and confidentiality. Since this new secured sub-area is not organized and protected by the operating system, it is inherently protected from attack by viruses or Trojan horse software whose effectiveness depends on their ability to maliciously direct the operating system. In addition, the read/write operations bypass command payload limits while reducing data and command validation costs.

Claims

1. A method for accessing a user data storage area in a data storage device, comprising:

defining a protected area in addition to a user area for data storage on the data storage device, and

accessing the protected area and buffering data in the protected area during data read and write operations with respect to the user area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the protected area is not user accessible under operation of an operating system of a host device to which the data storage device is associated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data storage device comprises a disk drive having a magnetic storage medium, and wherein the protected area is at least one of a Hidden System Area and PARTIES Area on the magnetic storage medium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data storage device comprises a disk drive having a magnetic storage medium, and wherein the protected area comprises a Host Protected Area on the magnetic storage medium which is accessible by software or firmware.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a secured sub-area within the protected area, wherein data is buffered in the secured sub-area during data read and write operations with respect to the user area.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the data storage device comprises a disk drive having a magnetic storage medium in which the protected area is located, and wherein the secured sub-area is defined by a range of LBA values within the protected area, and the secured sub-area is accessed by addressing using LBA values.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the buffering step comprises accessing data in the protected area using LBA.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the buffering step comprises data authentication during read and write operations.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein at least one of accessing of the protected area and data buffering in the protected area is under control by a controller provided within the data storage device.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein at least one of accessing of the protected area and data buffering in the protected area is under control by software or firmware external to the data storage device.

11. A method for bulk data transfer between a remote device and a host system, comprising:

defining a protected area in addition to a user area for data storage in a data storage device in the host system; and

accessing the protected area and buffering bulk data transfer in the protected area during read and write operations with respect to the user area.

12. A data storage device, comprising:

a data storage medium, wherein a protected area in addition to a user area are defined for data storage;

a transducer;

an actuator supporting and positioning the transducer with respect to the data storage medium;

a controller controlling at least one of accessing of the protected area and buffering data in the protected area during data read and write operations with respect to the user area.

13. The data storage device of claim 12, wherein the protected area is not user accessible under operation of an operating system of a host device to which the data storage device is associated.

14. The data storage device of claim 12, wherein the data storage device comprises a disk drive having a magnetic storage medium, and wherein the protected area is at least one of a Hidden System Area and PARTIES Area on the magnetic storage medium.

15. The data storage device of claim 12, wherein the data storage device comprises a disk drive having a magnetic storage medium, and wherein the protected area comprises a Host Protected Area on the magnetic storage medium which is accessible by software or firmware.

16. The data storage device of claim 12, wherein the protected area includes a secured sub-area, wherein data is buffered in the secured sub-area during data read and write operations with respect to the user area.

17. The data storage device of claim 16, wherein the data storage device comprises a disk drive having a magnetic storage medium on which the protected area is located, and wherein the secured sub-area is defined by a range of LBA values within the protected area, and the secured sub-area is accessed by addressing using LBA values.

18. The data storage device of claim 17, wherein the controller controls data buffering by accessing the protected area using LBA.

19. A data processing system, comprising:

a data storage device as in claim 12; and

a host system operatively coupled to the data storage device, said host system comprising a processor and an operating system, wherein the processor transfers data to and from the data storage device for read and write operations.

20. The system as in claim 19, wherein the protected area is not user accessible under operation of the operating system of the host system.