Method and structure for securing access to a computer system
First Claim
1. A method for controlling access to computer system during a boot operation comprising the steps of:
- receiving user authorization information from a prospective user;
determining if said user authorization information is valid;
if said user authorization information is valid, allowing said prospective user to have access to said computer system by booting said computer system; and
if said user authorization information is invalid, increasing the difficulty of gaining access to said computer system by reducing threshold number to a lower threshold number following a number of invalid user authorization attempts which equals or exceeds said threshold number.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Tests are performed prior to or during the boot operation to determine whether files are corrupted. This may indicate the presence of a virus. If a potential error is detected, boot is halted, allowing the user to boot from uncorrupted files. In another embodiment, an uniquely formatted floppy diskette is used as an access diskette serves as a hardware key to gain access. In another embodiment, a host controls information stored locally. In another embodiment, security from unauthorized access is provided once a valid user has legitimately accessed a computer. In response to a predefined hot key or a predetermined period of time during which the user has not provided input, portions of the computer are disabled. Upon entry of access information by the valid user, the disabled features are enabled. In another embodiment, access to the computer is made more difficult in response to invalid access attempts. In one embodiment, once a threshold number of invalid access attempts is reached, the computer is locked up, requiring reboot, thereby increasing the difficulty of a would be intruder to gain access to the computer. In one embodiment, once the threshold value is reached, it is reset to a lower value.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for controlling access to computer system during a boot operation comprising the steps of:
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receiving user authorization information from a prospective user; determining if said user authorization information is valid; if said user authorization information is valid, allowing said prospective user to have access to said computer system by booting said computer system; and if said user authorization information is invalid, increasing the difficulty of gaining access to said computer system by reducing threshold number to a lower threshold number following a number of invalid user authorization attempts which equals or exceeds said threshold number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification