Personal computer having a security function, a method of implementing the security function, and methods of installing and detaching a security device to/from a computer

• US 5,884,026 A
• Filed: 07/17/1996
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kong, Won-keun
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laufer, Pinchus M.
• Application Number:
  US08/682,280
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 380/3, 380/4, 395/186, 395/188.01, 364/709.01, 364/709.05
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/80 in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1097 Boot, Start, Initialise, Power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files

Abstract

A personal computer having a security function, a security method therefor, and methods of installing and detaching a security device are provided. In the security method, a password is dispersedly stored in the personal computer and a hard disk is booted only when the password input by a user is valid and the boot data of a security device is the same as that of the hard disk. When recording a file on a floppy disk, the file is processed with an encryption function and an encryption table. Also, the file stored in the floppy disk is read using a decoding table. Further, when installing the security device, a partition is removed so as to prevent the hard disk from being used without any security device. Therefore, the password cannot be read by an unauthorized user and the hard disk cannot be booted without any security device. Also, due to the encrypting and decoding processes, a file is copied without permission cannot be read by another personal computer.

Claims

1. A personal computer security method for controlling a booting of a personal computer including a hard disk and security means for storing various programs for security of the personal computer, said security method comprising the steps of:

(a) preventing the booting of the personal computer if a password input by a user is not valid;

(b) terminating the booting of the personal computer if said security means is detached;

(c) if the password is valid, then determining whether said security means is the security means initially installed in the personal computer and said hard disk is the disk initially installed in the personal computer;

(d) terminating the booting of the personal computer so as to prevent said hard disk from being booted if it is determined in said step (c) that said security means or said hard disk is not that initially installed in the personal computer;

(e) controlling the input and output of data to and from said hard disk using said security means only if it is determined in said step (c) that said security means and said hard disk are those initially installed in the personal computer; and

(f) booting said hard disk.

2. A personal computer security method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step (a) comprises the sub-steps of:

requesting a user of the personal computer to input the password if said security means is initialized; and

continuously requesting the user of the personal computer to input the password if the input password is not valid.