REMOVABLE DRIVE WITH DATA ENCRYPTION
First Claim
1. A removable drive for connecting to computer devices and securely storing digital data, comprising:
- a connector for communicatively connecting with a port of a computer device;
memory providing data storage on the removable drive; and
a removable drive manager adapted for being run by an operating system of the computer device to receive a password, to generate a key based on the password, to encrypt using the key a data file accessible in memory of the computer device, and to store the encrypted file in the memory of the removable drive,wherein the removable drive manager is operable to perform the encryption of the data file without corresponding encryption applications being loaded on computer system prior to the connector being connected to the port, whereby the memory of the computer device is free of a footprint of encrypting using the key from the data file.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A removable drive such as a USB drive or key is provided for connecting to computer devices to provide secure and portable data storage. The drive includes a drive manager adapted to be run by an operating system of the computer device. The drive manager receives a password, generates a random key based on the password, encrypts a user-selected data file in memory of the computer device using the key, and stores the encrypted file in the memory of the removable drive. The drive manager performs the encryption of the data file without corresponding encryption applications being previously loaded on the computer system. The drive manager may include an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) cryptography algorithm. The drive manager generates a user interface that allows a user to enter passwords, select files for encryption and decryption, and create folders for storing the encrypted files on the removable drive.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A removable drive for connecting to computer devices and securely storing digital data, comprising:
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a connector for communicatively connecting with a port of a computer device; memory providing data storage on the removable drive; and a removable drive manager adapted for being run by an operating system of the computer device to receive a password, to generate a key based on the password, to encrypt using the key a data file accessible in memory of the computer device, and to store the encrypted file in the memory of the removable drive, wherein the removable drive manager is operable to perform the encryption of the data file without corresponding encryption applications being loaded on computer system prior to the connector being connected to the port, whereby the memory of the computer device is free of a footprint of encrypting using the key from the data file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A Universal Serial Bus (USB) removable device for connection to a USB port of a computer with a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising:
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computer readable program code devices causing the computer to display a user interface on a monitor of the computer prompting a user for inputting a password, a selection of a data file on the computer, and a request for secure storage of the data file on the USB removable device; computer readable program code devices causing the computer to generate a encrypt/decrypt key from the password; computer readable program code devices causing the computer to encrypt the selected data file using the encrypt/decrypt key; computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect storing of the encrypted data file on the USB removable device; and computer readable program devices causing the computer to verify the input password including comparing the password with a stored key on the USB removable device, wherein memory of the computer device is free of a footprint of the encrypting of the selected data file. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A USB removable drive, comprising:
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memory storing encrypted private files and unencrypted public files; a random key generator operable by an operating system of a computer system linked to the USB removable drive to generate a key based on a user password; and a cryptography algorithm operable by the operating system to encrypt a user-selected one or more files for storing in the encrypted private files using the generated key and to decrypt the one or more of the encrypted private files identified in the request to decrypt, wherein the selected files are combined into a single file prior to the encrypting by the cryptography algorithm such that the selected files are encrypted and decrypted as a unitary file. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification