ALWAYS-AVAILABLE EMBEDDED THEFT REACTION SUBSYSTEM

• US 20140055265A1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Berger, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,520,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning

Abstract

A system to provide an always-on always-available security system for a platform is described. The system comprises a multi-mode system having a plurality of modes, available whenever the platform has a source of power, the modes comprising an unarmed mode, in which the security system is not protecting the platform, an armed mode, in which the platform is protected, the armed mode reached from the unarmed mode, after an arming command, and a suspecting mode, in which the platform is suspecting theft, the suspecting mode reached from the armed mode, when a risk behavior is detected. The system further enabling the unarmed mode to be reached from the armed mode when a user disarms the platform, and the unarmed mode reached from the armed mode through the suspecting mode when an override command is received.

Claims

1. A system to provide an always-on always-available security system for a platform, comprising a multi-mode system having a plurality of modes, available whenever the platform has a source of power, the modes comprising:

an unarmed mode, in which the security system is not protecting the platform;

an armed mode, in which the platform is protected, the armed mode reached from the unarmed mode, after an arming command;

a suspecting mode, in which the platform is suspecting theft, the suspecting mode reached from the armed mode, when a risk behavior is detected;

the unarmed mode reached from the armed mode when a user disarms the platform, and the unarmed mode reached from the armed mode through the suspecting mode when an override command is received.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the unarmed mode reached from the suspecting mode when a user disarms the platform, and the unarmed mode reached from the suspecting mode when an override command is received.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system provides a soft reaction to the risk behavior, a soft reaction not deleting data on the platform or otherwise preventing use of the platform.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein receiving the override command moves the platform from the armed mode to the suspecting mode, prior to disarming the platform, and the system performs security actions when the override command moves the system from the armed mode to the suspecting mode.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the security actions comprise one or more of:

sending a message via a network, sounding an alarm, encrypting data on the platform, and transitioning the system to another power mode for data protection.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein a time until the movement from the suspecting mode to the unarmed mode is configurable.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the override utilizes a separate authentication.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising, in transitioning from the armed mode to the unarmed mode via the override command, encrypting data on the platform, such that the platform is usable and the data is protected.

9. A platform including an always-available security system comprising:

a core logic component to transition the platform from an unarmed mode to an armed mode;

a user interface to receive an override command from the user, to transition the system from the armed mode to the unarmed mode;

the core logic component to transition the platform to a suspecting mode, in response to receiving the override command;

a security action logic to perform one or more security actions in response to being in the suspecting mode; and

the core logic to transition the platform from the suspecting mode to the unarmed mode, after the security action logic performs the security actions, in response to receiving the override command.

10. The platform of claim 9, the security actions comprising one or more of:

sending a message via a network, sounding an alarm, encrypting data on the platform, and transitioning the system to another power mode for data protection.

11. The platform of claim 9, further comprising, the core logic component to transition the platform from the armed mode to the unarmed mode when receiving a disarming command.

12. The platform of claim 9, wherein a time between movement from the suspecting mode to the unarmed mode is configurable.

13. The platform of claim 9, wherein the override utilizes a separate authentication.

14. The platform of claim 13, wherein the separate authentication comprises a separate password.

15. The platform of claim 9, wherein the override command permits access to the platform, without access to data on the platform.

16. The platform of claim 9, further comprising:

an interface to receive a disarming command from a paired device, the override command used when the paired device is inaccessible.

17. A platform comprising:

storage including encryption to protect data;

a core logic component to transition a security system between a plurality of modes the modes including;

an unarmed mode when the platform is usable;

an armed mode, during which a risk behavior logic monitors for a risk behavior;

a suspecting mode, reached when the risk behavior logic detects the risk behavior, in the suspecting mode a security action logic taking a reaction to the risk behavior; and

an interface to receive an override from a user, to transition from the armed to the unarmed mode, without use of a disarming command; and

the core logic to transition through the suspecting mode, prior to moving the platform to the unarmed mode in response to the disarming command, so that the security action takes actions in response to receiving the override command.

18. The platform of claim 17, wherein when the system is moved to the unarmed mode through the override command, the data remains encrypted.

19. The platform of claim 17, wherein when the system is moved to the unarmed mode through the override command, the security action comprises one or more of:

sending a message via a network, sounding an alarm, encrypting data on the platform, and transitioning the system to another power mode for data protection.

20. A platform including an always-on security system comprising:

an interface to receive a disarming command, the disarming command to transition the system from an armed mode to an unarmed mode, the platform available for use in the unarmed mode; and

the interface to receive an override command, to transition the system from the armed mode to the unarmed mode, the override command causing the system to transition through a suspecting mode, prior to reaching the unarmed mode, a security action logic performing one or more security actions prior to the transition to the unarmed mode.

21. The platform of claim 20, wherein the security action includes encrypting data on the platform, such that the data remains encrypted when the platform is in the unarmed mode.