Method to protect information on a computer storage device
First Claim
1. A method, using a secret key, to protect information in a storage device of a computer, the secret key being derived from a password entered into the computer by an authorized user, comprising the steps of:
- applying a length-increasing pseudorandom function to the secret key and an index to generate a pseudorandom bit string having a length that is equal to a portion of the storage device associated with the index; and
using the pseudorandom bit string to encrypt and decrypt data accesses to and from the portion of the storage device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, using a secret key, to protect information in a storage disk of a computer, where the secret key is derived from a password entered into the computer by an authorized user. The method begins by applying a length-increasing pseudorandom function to the secret key and an index to generate a pseudorandom bit string having a length that is a function of the size of a sector of the storage disk. The sector is associated or otherwise identified by the index used by the pseudorandom function to generate the pseudorandom bit string. The pseudorandom bit string is then used to encrypt and decrypt data accesses to and from the sector.
357 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, using a secret key, to protect information in a storage device of a computer, the secret key being derived from a password entered into the computer by an authorized user, comprising the steps of:
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applying a length-increasing pseudorandom function to the secret key and an index to generate a pseudorandom bit string having a length that is equal to a portion of the storage device associated with the index; and using the pseudorandom bit string to encrypt and decrypt data accesses to and from the portion of the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method, using a secret key, to protect information in a storage disk Of a computer, the secret key being derived from a password entered into the computer by an authorized user, comprising the steps of:
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applying a length-increasing pseudorandom function to the secret key and an index to generate a pseudorandom bit string having a length equal to a sector of the storage disk associated with the index; combining a data block of the information with the pseudorandom bit string to generate a ciphertext; and storing the ciphertext in the sector to protect the data block against unauthorized disclosure. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A method to protect information on a storage device of a computer, comprising the steps of:
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deriving a secret key from a password entered into the computer by an authorized user; applying a length-increasing pseudorandom function to the secret key and an index to generate a pseudorandom bit string having a length equal to a sector of the storage device associated with the index; encrypting a data block of the information with the pseudorandom bit string to generate a ciphertext; and storing the ciphertext in the sector to protect the data block against unauthorized disclosure. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer, comprising:
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a storage device; means for processing a password entered by an authorized user to generate a secret key; means for using the secret key and an index to generate a pseudorandom bit string having a predetermined length; and means for encrypting and decrypting data accesses to and from the storage device using the pseudorandom bit string. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method, using a secret key, to protect information on a computer having a disk, comprising the steps of:
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deriving a user key from a password entered into the computer from an authorized user; encrypting the secret key with the user key to generate a value that is stored along with information identifying the authorized user; recovering the secret key in response to subsequent entry of the password by the authorized user; applying a length-increasing pseudorandom function to the secret key and an index to generate a pseudorandom bit string having a length equal to a sector of the disk associated with the index; and using the pseudorandom bit string to encrypt and decrypt data accesses to and from the sector. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method, using a secret key shared by a plurality of authorized users, to protect information on a computer having a disk, comprising the steps of:
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for each authorized user of the computer, deriving a user key from the authorized user'"'"'s password and encrypting the secret key with the user key to generate a value that is then stored along with an identifier for the user; recovering the secret key in response to subsequent entry of a password from one of the authorized users; applying a length-increasing pseudorandom function to the secret key and an index to generate a pseudorandom bit string having a length equal to a sector of the disk associated with the index; and using the pseudorandom bit string to encrypt and decrypt data accesses to and from the sector.
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20. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a computer-readable storage medium having a substrate; and computer program data encoded in the substrate of the computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer program data comprises; means for applying a length-increasing pseudorandom function to a secret key and an index to generate a pseudorandom bit string having a length equal to a sector of the storage disk associated with the index; and means for using the pseudorandom bit string to encrypt data accesses to the sector of the storage disk and to decrypt data accesses from the sector of the storage disk.
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Specification