Methods to securely bind an encryption key to a storage device

• US 20100082898A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hensgen, Debra, Trika, Sanjeev N., Mangold, Richard P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,332,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/113
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/02 Addressing or allocation; Relocation program address sequencing G06F9/00; arrangements for selecting an address in a digital store G11C8/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1408 by using cryptography for digital transmission H04L9/00
• 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 2221/2107 File encryption

Abstract

Embodiments of methods to securely bind a disk cache encryption key to a cache device are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method for managing a cache key in a device, comprising:

binding a cache system to a disk;

identifying a disk location in the disk and storing the cache key in the disk location;

storing the disk location in the cache system;

enabling caching of the disk to the cache system; and

encrypting the cache system with the cache key.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the cache key by auto generation or by providing the cache key from a user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the cache key in the cache system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if cache security is enabled.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising limiting a function of the cache system before storing the cache key in the cache system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting a confirmation key to authenticate a user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising triggering the cache system to authenticate the disk in response to one of a power cycle, a time period, a usage volume, and a random event.

8. A method for authenticating a cache system by a processing system, comprising:

initiating the cache system to determine a disk status of a disk;

reading a cache key from the disk when the disk status is unlocked;

unlocking the cache system using the cache key; and

executing a boot sequence in the processing system.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising authenticating the cache key from the disk.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising executing code from the cache system when the disk is locked to intercept a boot sequence from the disk for determining that the disk is unlocked.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising limiting a function of the cache system before authenticating the cache key.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising maintaining a limited function of the cache system when an authenticity of the cache key is false.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising requesting a confirmation key to authenticate a user.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising triggering the cache system to authenticate the cache key from the disk in response to one of a power cycle, a time period, a usage volume, and a random event.

15. A machine-accessible medium that provides instructions, which when accessed, cause a machine to perform operations comprising:

binding a cache system to a disk;

identifying a disk location in the disk and storing the cache key in the disk location;

storing the disk location in the cache system;

enabling caching of the disk to the cache system; and

encrypting the cache system with the cache key.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining if cache security is enabled.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising limiting a function of the cache system before storing the disk location in the cache system.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating the cache key by auto generation or by providing the cache key from a user.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising requesting a confirmation key to authenticate a user.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising triggering the cache system to authenticate the disk in response to one of a power cycle, a time period, a usage volume, and a random event.