Security system for hard disk drive
First Claim
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1. A security system for a portable hard disk drive, the system comprising:
- first, non-volatile, memory means (IC5) within the disk drive comprising memory for storing a first password;
second memory means (IC7) within the disk drive for transiently storing a second password which may be entered by a user after powering-up of the disk drive in a computer; and
comparison means (IC4) coupled to said first memory means and to said second memory means for comparing the stored first password with the second password, characterized in that;
software utility program means is provided externally of the disk drive for running on a computer in which the disk drive is used; and
said first, non-volatile, memory means (IC5) within the disk drive also includes memory for storing software code for;
(a) interacting with the software utility program means so as to enable the disk drive to be set by a user, in a chosen one of at least two disk protection modes from which the user may choose, in which the set mode of the disk drive is retained after powering off and re-powering up such that the drive is usable in the same set mode following re-powering up without having to input a password to the drive, said at least two disk protection modes being selected from;
a full data protection mode in which a user is prohibited from reading data from, and writing data to, a disk means of the disk drive,a partial data protection mode in which a user is prohibited from writing data to and is permitted only to read data from the disk means, anda no data protection mode in which a user is permitted to read data from, and write data to, the disk means;
provided that one of said at least two selected disk protection modes is the partial data protection mode; and
(b) controlling the disk drive when it has been set in the partial data protection mode so as to allow it to be used for reading only, without said software utility program means and without password entry after powering off and re-powering up, said comparison means (IC4) operating, when the disk drive has been set in one of the full and partial data protection modes and the user enters the second password, to;
permit a user to obtain full, namely read and write, access to the disk means, if the passwords match, permit a user to change the protection mode in which the disk drive is set if the passwords match, and prevent a user from obtaining full access to the disk means, and from changing the protection mode in which the disk drive is set, if the passwords do not match.
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Abstract
A portable hard disk drive has an electrically erasable programmable read-only-memory (EEPROM) for storing a first password for allowing a user access to the disk and a random access memory (RAM) for temporarily storing a password entered by a user. A microprocessor is arranged to compare the user-entered passed with the password stored in the EEPROM and to generate a signal to allow a user access to the disk if a valid match is found and to prohibit access if there is no match.
145 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A security system for a portable hard disk drive, the system comprising:
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first, non-volatile, memory means (IC5) within the disk drive comprising memory for storing a first password; second memory means (IC7) within the disk drive for transiently storing a second password which may be entered by a user after powering-up of the disk drive in a computer; and comparison means (IC4) coupled to said first memory means and to said second memory means for comparing the stored first password with the second password, characterized in that; software utility program means is provided externally of the disk drive for running on a computer in which the disk drive is used; and said first, non-volatile, memory means (IC5) within the disk drive also includes memory for storing software code for; (a) interacting with the software utility program means so as to enable the disk drive to be set by a user, in a chosen one of at least two disk protection modes from which the user may choose, in which the set mode of the disk drive is retained after powering off and re-powering up such that the drive is usable in the same set mode following re-powering up without having to input a password to the drive, said at least two disk protection modes being selected from; a full data protection mode in which a user is prohibited from reading data from, and writing data to, a disk means of the disk drive, a partial data protection mode in which a user is prohibited from writing data to and is permitted only to read data from the disk means, and a no data protection mode in which a user is permitted to read data from, and write data to, the disk means; provided that one of said at least two selected disk protection modes is the partial data protection mode; and (b) controlling the disk drive when it has been set in the partial data protection mode so as to allow it to be used for reading only, without said software utility program means and without password entry after powering off and re-powering up, said comparison means (IC4) operating, when the disk drive has been set in one of the full and partial data protection modes and the user enters the second password, to;
permit a user to obtain full, namely read and write, access to the disk means, if the passwords match, permit a user to change the protection mode in which the disk drive is set if the passwords match, and prevent a user from obtaining full access to the disk means, and from changing the protection mode in which the disk drive is set, if the passwords do not match. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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2. A circuit board (10), for use in a portable hard disk drive for controlling access to information on a disk means of the disk drive, the circuit board comprising disk drive control means for controlling rotation of the disk means and for reading and writing information to and from the disk means;
- first, non-volatile, memory means (IC5) disposed on the circuit board for storing a first password;
second memory means (IC7) disposed on the circuit board for transiently storing a second password which may be entered by a user after powering-up of the disk drive in a computer in which a software utility program means, provided externally of the hard disk, is running;
said first, non-volatile, memory means disposed on the circuit board having stored therein software code for;(a) interacting, in use of the disk drive, with the software utility program means, said interaction between the software code and the software utility program means enabling a user to set the disk drive in a chosen one of at least two disk protection modes from which the user may choose, in which the set mode of the disk drive is retained after powering off and re-powering up such that the drive is usable in the same set protection mode following re-powering up without having to input a password to the drive, said at least two disk protection modes being selected from; a no data protection mode in which a user is permitted. to write data to, and read data from, the disk means of the disk. drive, a partial data protection mode in which a user is prohibited from writing data to and is permitted only to read data from the disk means, and a full data protection mode in which a user is prohibited from writing data to, and reading data from, the disk means; provided that one of said at least two selected disk protection modes is the partial data protection mode; and (b) controlling the disk drive, when it has been set in the partial data protection mode, so as to allow it to be used for reading only, without said software utility program means and without password entry after powering off and re-powering up; and comparison means (IC4) mounted on the circuit board and coupled to the first and second memory means for comparing the first and second passwords and for generating a signal which, when the disk drive has been set in one of the full and partial data protection modes and the user enters the second password;
allows a user to obtain full, namely read and write, access to the disk means, if the passwords match, allows a user to change the protection mode in which the disk drive is set if the passwords match, and prevents a user from obtaining full access to the disk means, and from changing the protection mode in which the disk drive is set, if the passwords do not match.
- first, non-volatile, memory means (IC5) disposed on the circuit board for storing a first password;
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12. A method of controlling access to a portable hard disk drive for use in a computer, comprising the steps of:
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storing a first password in a first non-volatile memory means (IC5) located in the disk drive, storing a second user-entered password in a second memory means (IC7) located in the disk drive, and comparing the first and second passwords;
characterized by the further steps of;running a software utility program on the computer;
running the software utility program to interact with software code stored in said first non-volatile memory means (IC5) within the disk drive, in order to enable a user to set the disk drive in one of at least two disk protection modes from which the user may choose, in which the set mode of the disk drive is retained after powering off and re-powering up such that the drive is usable in the same set mode following re-powering up without the need to input a password to the drive, said at least two disk protection modes being selected from;a no data protection mode in which a user is permitted to read data from, and write data to, a disk means of the disk drive, a partial data protection mode in which a user is prohibited from writing data to and is permitted only to read data from the disk means, and a full data protection mode in which a user is denied any access to the disk means; provided that one of said at least two selected disk protection modes is the partial data protection mode such that once the disk drive is set in the partial data protection mode the disk drive continues to permit read only access without password entry after powering off and re-powering up; and, when the disk means is set in one of the full and partial data protection modes and the user enters the second password, if a valid match is found upon comparison of the first and second passwords, allowing a user to obtain full, namely read and write, access to the disk means, and to change the protection mode in which the disk drive is set. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification