Methods, Systems and Apparatus to Secure Devices Via Physical and/or Virtual Locking

• US 20150278558A1
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Nayshtut, Alex, Li, Hong, Porat, Shahar, Priev, Avi
• Granted Patent: US 9,449,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatus and articles of manufacture are disclosed to secure devices. An example disclosed apparatus includes a platform detector to determine when the device is within a threshold proximity to a platform, a device locking manager to initiate a locking service for the device when within the threshold proximity, and a device tampering manager to initiate a tampering remedy in response to detecting an indication of tampering.

Claims

1. An apparatus to secure a device, comprising:

a platform detector to determine when the device is within a threshold proximity to a platform;

a device locking manager to initiate a locking service for the device when within the threshold proximity; and

a device tampering manager to initiate a tampering remedy in response to detecting an indication of tampering.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the device locking manager is to invoke a physical lock as the locking service.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, further comprising a device locking module to engage a corresponding platform locking module to physically restrain the device to the platform.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, further comprising a credential engine to invoke a release of the physical lock in response to receipt of authorized credentials.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the device tampering manager is to detect a first threshold force as the indication of tampering.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, further comprising a device locking module having a force sensor to generate force values between the device locking module and the platform.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, further comprising a sacrificial component connected to the physical lock, the sacrificial component to be destroyed in response to an applied force between the physical lock and the platform exceeding a threshold value.

8. A method to secure a device, comprising:

determining when the device is within a threshold proximity to a platform;

initiating a locking service for the device when within the threshold proximity; and

initiating a tampering remedy in response to detecting an indication of tampering.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising invoking a physical lock as the locking service in response to detecting the indication of tampering.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising engaging a corresponding platform locking module to physically restrain the device to the platform.

11. A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising detecting a first threshold force as the indication of tampering.

12. A method as defined in claim 11, further comprising generating a tampering message as the tampering remedy in response to the first threshold force.

13. A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising destroying a sacrificial component connected to the physical lock in response to an applied force between the physical lock and the platform exceeding a threshold value.

14. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising a virtual lock as the locking service.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising prompting for authorized credentials in response to removal of the device from the platform.

16. A machine accessible storage device or storage disk having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

determine when the device is within a threshold proximity to a platform;

initiate a locking service for the device when within the threshold proximity; and

initiate a tampering remedy in response to detecting an indication of tampering.

17. A machine accessible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to invoke a physical lock as the locking service in response to detecting the indication of tampering.

18. A machine accessible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to invoke a virtual lock as the locking service.

19. A machine accessible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 18, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to prompt for authorized credentials in response to removal of the device from the platform.

20. A machine accessible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 19, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to incapacitate a sacrificial component of the device if the authorized credentials are not received within a threshold duration.