SECURITY FOR COMPUTER SYSTEMS

• US 3,806,882 A
• Filed: 11/13/1972
• Issued: 04/23/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alan Bothwell Clarke
• Original Assignee: Alan Bothwell Clarke
• Inventors: Clarke, Alan Bothwell
• Primary Examiner(s): Henon, Paul J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, James D.
• Application Number:
  US05/306,254
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 340/172.5,149A,149R 235/61.7B,61.12C,61.12N,61.12M
• US Class Current: 711/164
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1466 Key-lock mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/22 in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/29 the pass containing active electronic elements, e.g. smartcards

Abstract

A computer security system and method in which access to information stored in the computer is only made available in response to correct identifying data stored in an electronic key which is coupled to the computer to be identified. The key includes at least one ramdom access permanent memory device.

Claims

1. In combination, a key means having a memory containing predetermined data words in predetermined storage locations, and a computer system having a security storage for privileged information and means for identifying the said data when the key is arranged to communicate with the system, said identifying means including a key storage memory containing the same data words as said key means in associated memory locations, the system further including means for rendEring said security storage accessible only in response to favorable comparison of the data words in said key means and said key storage means, said key means comprising at least one random access permanent memory device.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the key means is such that data can be erased therefrom and written therein non-destructively, and the computer system includes means for erasing data in the key means and writing new data therein subsequently when the key means is presented to the system for erasure and writing.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer system includes means for providing warning indications and for rendering said security storage inaccessible if a key means is brought into communication with the system and the system is unable to identify the data therein through the comparison operation.

4. A method of operating a computer system including a storage containing privileged information, the method including the steps of bringing a key containing predetermined data words in predetermined memory locations into communication with the system, identifying the data by an operation of the system, whereby the data words in said key are compared with a similar group of data words stored in the computer for identification purposes, and providing access to the said privileged information only in response to favorable comparison of the data words in the key with the data words stored in the computer for the identification of the said data, the said key comprising at least one random access permanent memory device.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the key is such that data can be erased therefrom and written therein non-destructively, and the computer system erases data in the key and writes new data therein subsequently when the key is presented to the system for erasure and writing.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the computer system provides warning indications and renders the said storage inaccessible if a key is brought into communication with the system and the system is unable to identify the data therein.

7. Means for preventing unauthorized access to a source of security data in a computer system comprising an electronic key means comprising a random access memory means having a plurality of memory storage locations;

said computer system having a receptacle for removably receiving said key means to generate a start signal, when said receptacle receives said key means;

erasure means responsive to said start signal to erase the contents of said key means;

address generation means and data generating means responsive to the operation of said erasure means for respectively addressing the memory locations in a predetermined pattern, and for generating predetermined data words in a predetermined pattern;

said computer system including a key storage memory having at least as many memory storage locations as said key means;

said address generation means and said data generation means each being connected in common to said key means and said computer key storage means to store said each data word in the said memory locations in said key means and said computer key storage means.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said computer system further comprises means responsive to a data acquisition request and to the insertion of said key means into said receptacle for sequentially comparing respective memory locations in said key means and said computer key storage means;

said comparing means further comprising means for generating an enable signal to said source of security data to enable the contents of said data source to be read out therefrom only upon favorable comparison of data words in each and every memory location of said key means and said computer key storage means.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said memory locations are sensitive to ultra-violet radiation, said erasure means comprising means for irradiating said memory Locations in said key means to ultra-violet radiation to erase the contents thereof.

10. A method for protecting the data in a security data source in a computer system from use by only authorized personnel through a key means insertable into a special receptacle provided in the computer system comprising the steps of erasing the contents of the key means which comprises a plug-in memory storage means when the key means is inserted into the receptacle;

generating predetermined data words in a predetermined sequence;

sequentially writing said data words in predetermined memory locations in the key means; and

simultaneously writing said data words in a key storage memory provided in the computer system at associated memory locations so that the data words and the memory locations of said data words are the same in both memories.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of sequentially comparing the data words in each memory location of the key means with the data words in associated locations in the computer key storage memory when said key means is inserted into said receptacle and when a data source request is received;

and transferring data words out of the data source only when all data words in the key means favorably compare with all words in the computer key storage means.