Personal computer system with security features and method
DCFirst Claim
1. A personal computer system for receiving and retaining data and capable of securing data retained within the system against unauthorized access, the system comprising:
- a normally closed enclosure,an erasable memory element mounted within said enclosure for selective activation to active and inactive states and for receiving and storing a security password when in the active state,a manually operable option switch mounted within said enclosure, said option switch being operatively connected with said erasable memory element and manually settable by a user of the personal computer system for setting said erasable memory element to the active and inactive states,a tamper detection switch mounted within said enclosure and operatively connected with said erasable memory element for detecting opening of said enclosure and for clearing any stored security password from said erasable memory element in response to any switching of said tamper switch, anda system processor mounted within said enclosure and operatively connected with said erasable memory element for controlling access to at least certain levels of data stored within the system by distinguishing between the active and inactive states of said memory element and between entry and non-entry of any stored security password.
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Abstract
This invention relates to personal computer systems and, more particularly, to such a system having security features enabling control over access to data retained in such a system. In particular, a personal computer system in accordance with this invention has a normally closed enclosure, at least one erasable memory element for selective activation to active and inactive states and for receiving and storing a privileged access password when in the active state, an option switch operatively connected with the erasable memory element for setting the erasable memory element to the active and inactive states, a tamper detection switch operatively connected with the erasable memory element for detecting opening of the enclosure and for invalidating any privileged access password stored in the erasable memory element in response to any switching of the tamper switch, and a system processor operatively connected with the erasable memory element for controlling access to at least certain levels of data stored within the system by distinguishing between the active and inactive states of the memory element and between entry and non-entry of any stored privileged access password. In the presently preferred form of the invention, two non-volatile erasable memory elements are provided, one an EEPROM and the other battery backed CMOS RAM.
121 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A personal computer system for receiving and retaining data and capable of securing data retained within the system against unauthorized access, the system comprising:
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a normally closed enclosure, an erasable memory element mounted within said enclosure for selective activation to active and inactive states and for receiving and storing a security password when in the active state, a manually operable option switch mounted within said enclosure, said option switch being operatively connected with said erasable memory element and manually settable by a user of the personal computer system for setting said erasable memory element to the active and inactive states, a tamper detection switch mounted within said enclosure and operatively connected with said erasable memory element for detecting opening of said enclosure and for clearing any stored security password from said erasable memory element in response to any switching of said tamper switch, and a system processor mounted within said enclosure and operatively connected with said erasable memory element for controlling access to at least certain levels of data stored within the system by distinguishing between the active and inactive states of said memory element and between entry and non-entry of any stored security password.
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2. A personal computer system for receiving and retaining data and capable of securing data retained within the system against unauthorized access, the system comprising:
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a normally closed enclosure, a first erasable memory element mounted within said enclosure for selective activation to active and inactive states and for receiving and storing a privileged access password when in the active state, an option switch mounted within said enclosure and operatively connected with said first erasable memory element for setting said first erasable memory element to the active and inactive states, a second erasable memory element mounted within said enclosure for receiving and storing data indicative of the state of said first erasable memory element and of correct entry of any stored privileged access password, a tamper detection switch mounted within said enclosure and operatively connected with said second erasable memory element for detecting unauthorized opening of said enclosure and for invalidating any privileged access password stored in said first erasable memory element in response to any switching of said tamper switch, and a system processor mounted within said enclosure and operatively connected with said erasable memory elements for controlling access to at least certain levels of data stored within the system by distinguishing between the active and inactive states of said first memory element and between entry and non-entry of any valid stored privileged access password. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A personal computer system for receiving and retaining data and having a high speed system processor compatible with application programs and operating system software designed to execute on slower speed system processors, said personal computer system being capable of securing data retained within the system against unauthorized access and comprising:
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a normally closed enclosure, an erasable memory element mounted within said enclosure for selective activation to active and inactive states and for storing a privileged access password when in the active state, an option switch mounted within said enclosure and operatively connected with said erasable memory element for setting said memory element to the active and inactive states, a tamper detection switch mounted within said enclosure and operatively connected with said erasable memory element for detecting opening of said enclosure and for invalidating any privileged access password stored in said erasable memory element in response to any switching of said tamper switch, a high speed microprocessor mounted within said enclosure and operatively connected with said erasable memory element for controlling access to at least certain levels of data stored within the system by distinguishing between the active and inactive states of said erasable memory element and between entry and non-entry of any stored privileged access password, said microprocessor having a real and protected mode of operation and being coupled to a high speed data bus; non-volatile memory coupled to a slower speed data bus; volatile memory coupled to the high speed data bus; and a bus and memory controller for providing communications between the high speed data bus and the slower speed data bus, said bus and memory controller being coupled to said volatile memory and said non-volatile memory and regulating communications between said volatile memory and said high speed microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of operating a personal computer system having an enclosure, a system processor mounted within the enclosure, a selectively activable erasable memory element mounted within the enclosure, a manually operable option switch mounted within the enclosure manually settable by a user of the personal computer system for setting the memory element to active and inactive states, and a tamper detection switch mounted within the enclosure for detecting opening of the enclosure, the method comprising the steps of:
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manually setting the option switch and selectively setting the memory element into active state; storing a privileged access password in the active memory element; controlling access to at least certain levels of data stored within the system by distinguishing between the active and inactive states of the memory element and between entry and non-entry of the privileged access password; and invalidating the privileged access password stored in the memory element in response to any switching of the tamper switch. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method of operating a personal computer system having a system processor and memory elements, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing for the reception by and storage in the system of first and second passwords and for the loading into the system of trusted and open programs; distinguishing among the storage of (a) no passwords, (b) a first password, and (c) a second password; distinguishing between the loading and requested execution of (d) trusted and (e) open programs; distinguishing among the entry by a user of (f) no passwords, (g) the first password, and (h) the second password; and controlling access by a user to trusted programs (d) in response to the entry by a user of the second password (h). - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification