Operating system and data protection

• US 6,594,780 B1
• Filed: 10/19/1999
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inasoft, Inc., Xylon LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Inasoft, Inc.
• Inventors: Jian, Zhang, Sun, Hanxiang, Shen, Andrew W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chu, Gabriel L
• Application Number:
  US09/420,348
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 714/48, 714/15, 714/37, 714/38, 714/47, 714/8, 714/20, 707/202
• US Class Current: 714/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• 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 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

An operating system and protection system. The invention protects a latest base system setting of the operating system of a computing system in which the invention is performed. The invention employs a virtual device driver (VXD) that is substantially transparent to the operating system. The invention is, in certain embodiments of the invention, an on-board system that is a disaster recovery utility. Many different types of disasters can result in a hard disk crash of the computing system. Examples of such hard disk crashes include those that are caused by an error performed by a user of the computing system. Such user-induced-errors often result during reconfiguration of various portions of the computing system including configuring various peripheral devices including fax/modems, network cards, etc. The invention provides the ability for the user to accept or reject any BIOS changes that are to be made to the computing system. In addition, the invention protects against operating system crash due to missing or corrupted files. The invention is operable to recover mistakenly deleted or damaged application data from a hard disk level. The invention is operable also to protect the operating system and data of the computing system against virus penetration, in that, a base system setting of the computing system is preserved. In other embodiments of the invention, the invention is operable to provide for a security lock to the computing system and all of its associated data at the base system setting.

Claims

1. A method of protecting data that resides in locations of a memory in a computer system having a table that identifies a status of the locations of the memory, the method comprising:

intercepting a write access command directed to a first location;

comparing the address of said first location to the table and determining whether said first location is identified as protected;

if said first location is identified as protected, then determining a second location that is not identified as protected and updating said table to indicate a relationship between said first location and said second location;

re-directing the write access command to said second location;

intercepting a subsequent write access command directed to said first location;

comparing the address of said first location to said table and determining that said first location is identified as protected; and

re-directing said subsequent write access command to a third location that is not identified as protected and substituting in said table the relationship between said first location and said second location with a relationship between said first location and said third location.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

intercepting at least one read access command directed to said first location;

comparing said first location to said table to determine the location of said third location; and

re-directing said at least one read access command to said third location.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining a second location that is not identified as protected further comprises determining a second location that is identified as available.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining a third location that is not identified as protected further comprises determining a third location that is identified as available.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said memory is a disk drive and said locations are sectors.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a second location that is not identified as protected further comprises determining a second location that is identified as available.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein determining a third location that is not identified as protected further comprises determining a third location that is identified as available.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said memory is a disk drive and said locations are sectors.

9. A computer system for protecting data that resides in locations of a memory in a computer system, the computer system comprising:

a table that identifies a status of the locations of the memory and is configured to track the relationship between locations identified as protected and locations not identified as protected; and

a driver configured to;

intercept a write access command directed to a first location;

compare the address of said first location to said table and determine whether said first location is identified as protected;

if said first location is identified as protected, then determine a second location that is not identified as protected and update said table to indicate a relationship between said first location and said second location;

re-direct the write access command to said second location;

intercept a subsequent write access command directed to said first location,

compare the address of said first location to said table and determine that said first location is identified as protected; and

re-direct said subsequent write access command to a third location that is not identified as protected and substitute in said table the relationship between said first location and said second location with a relationship between said first location and said third location.

10. The computer system of claim 9 wherein the driver being configured to determine a second location that is not identified as protected further comprises the driver being configured to determine a second location that is identified as available.

11. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the driver being configured to determine a third location that is not identified as protected further comprises the driver being configured to determine a third location that is identified as available.

12. The computer system of claim 9 wherein said memory is a disk drive and said locations are sectors.