UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS - HARDWARE FIREWALL (USB-HF) ADAPTOR

• US 20110030030A1
• Filed: 08/03/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kingston Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kingston Technology Corporation
• Inventors: TANG, Choon Tak, CHEN, Jason, TERPENING, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,209,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6236 between heterogeneous systems

Abstract

A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides a protected area for software to execute on a separate hardware firewall adaptor when a storage device is operating in an unprotected environment when connected to an uncontrolled or unmonitored host system. This software provides security through a plurality of security, access management and monitoring (SAMM) applications when a USB storage device is connected to a computer in an uncontrolled, unprotected environment.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a storage device;

a non-secure host; and

a hardware firewall adaptor coupled therebetween;

wherein the hardware firewall adaptor provides a secure environment for applications to operate when the storage device is utilized outside a controlled environment.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the hardware firewall adaptor comprises:

an application RAM for storing the applications, and

a high performance processor for executing the applications.

3. The system of claim 1 that comprises of a plurality of applications that are executed by the hardware firewall adaptor.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of applications enforce policies that would restrict file operations, provide remote management functionality and monitor file activities and log these activities to be saved to either the storage device, the hardware firewall adaptor or a secure remote server.

5. A Universal Serial Bus-Hardware Firewall (USB-HF) adaptor comprising:

a first interface adapted to be coupled to a host device;

a USB host interface logic coupled to the first interface;

a second interface adapted to be coupled to a USB storage device;

a USB device interface logic coupled to the second interface;

an application RAM for storing applications; and

a processor coupled to the application RAM, USB host interface logic and USB device interface logic, wherein the processor executes the applications.

6. The system of claim 5 that comprises of a plurality of applications that are executed by the USB-HF.

7. The USB-HF adaptor of claim 6 wherein the plurality of applications enforce policies that would restrict file operations, provide remote management functionality and monitor file activities and log these activities to be saved to either the storage device, the USB-HF adaptor or a secure server.

8. A system comprising:

a USB storage device;

a non-secure host; and

a Universal Serial Bus-Hardware Firewall (USB-HF) adaptor coupled therebetween;

wherein the USB-HF adaptor provides a secure environment for applications to operate when the USB storage device is utilized outside a controlled environment.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the USB-HF adaptor comprises:

an application RAM for storing the applications, and

a high performance processor for executing the applications.

10. The system of claim 8 that comprises of a plurality of applications that are executed by the USB-HF adaptor.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of applications enforce policies that would restrict file operators, provide remote management functionality and monitor file activities and log these activities to be saved to either the storage device, the USB-HF adaptor or a secure server.