Method and apparatus for erasing data after tampering
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for storing and maintaining data, the method comprising the steps of:
- storing data on a storage unit in a manner that allows modification of the data only if a tamper signal is detected that indicates unauthorized physical access to the storage unit;
detecting the tamper signal; and
in response to detecting the tamper signal, deleting the data stored on the storage unit by overwriting the data with a specified value, and preventing any data from being written to the storage unit and preventing any data from being read from the storage unit.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An approach for storing and maintaining data is disclosed. One or more sensors are provided for detecting unauthorized access to a first non-volatile storage. If unauthorized access to the first non-volatile storage is detected, then the data on the first non-volatile storage is deleted by overwriting the data on the first non-volatile storage with a predetermined value so that the data cannot be recovered. The first non-volatile storage is registered with a registration authority to provide authentication of the data maintained on the first non-volatile storage.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A method for storing and maintaining data, the method comprising the steps of:
-
storing data on a storage unit in a manner that allows modification of the data only if a tamper signal is detected that indicates unauthorized physical access to the storage unit;
detecting the tamper signal; and
in response to detecting the tamper signal, deleting the data stored on the storage unit by overwriting the data with a specified value, and preventing any data from being written to the storage unit and preventing any data from being read from the storage unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A data storage unit for storing and maintaining data, the data storage unit comprising:
-
a first non-volatile storage device containing data stored thereon; and
a processing unit communicatively coupled to the first non-volatile storage device, wherein the processing unit is configured to allow modification of the data stored on the first non-volatile storage device only if a tamper signal is detected that indicates unauthorized physical access to the first non-volatile storage device, and in response to detecting the tamper signal, delete the data stored on the first non-volatile storage device by overwriting the data stored on the first non-volatile storage device with a specified value, and prevent any data from being written to the first non-volatile storage device and prevent any data from being read from the first non-volatile storage device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for storing and maintaining data, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
-
storing data on a storage unit in a manner that allows modification of the data only if a tamper signal is detected that indicates unauthorized physical access to the storage unit;
detecting the tamper signal; and
in response to detecting the tamper signal, deleting the data stored on the storage unit by overwriting the data with a specified value, and preventing any data from being written to the storage unit and preventing any data from being read from the storage unit. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification