Method and system for securing a personal computer bus

• US 6,912,663 B1
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kern, Eric Richard, Dayan, Richard Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Morse, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Colin, Carl G.
• Application Number:
  US09/455,104
• Time in Patent Office: 2,031 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/201, 713/202, 713/100, 364/900, 361/683, 380/25, 395/882
• US Class Current: 726/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4295 using an embedded synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/85 interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices

Abstract

A system and method of securing a USB Interface of a personal computer against inputs from a user when the keyboard of the personal computer is secured against user inputs. By combining the hardware locking of the USB Interface is with the locking of the keyboard controllers, a potential circumvention of the keyboard controller lock is avoided and security of the data stored on a personal computer is increased.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

a processor;

a memory having a memory address space, the memory address space comprising a stored program, the stored program including a power-on-self-test (POST);

a first input device operatively connected to the processor;

an adapter read-only-memory (ROM) located in certain blocks of the memory address space;

a control associated with the POST for preventing an input from the first input device during the POST to prevent user inputs from entering the memory;

a security signature in the adapter ROM for identifying if the first input device may temporarily accept a user input;

a ROM security routine for determining if user input is required and further including a test for user authorization;

an indicator stored in the memory for permitting a user input during at least a portion of the POST, with the processor responding to the indicator and allowing a user input at the input device during POST by at least temporarily overriding the control preventing a user input during the POST if the user successfully satisfies the authorization test; and

a second input device operatively connected to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port in the computer, wherein the second input device is selectively locked out during the POST, and wherein the second input device being selectively locked out is dependent on the first input device being prevented from inputting a signal during the POST.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein the first input device is a keyboard communicating with the computer via a dedicated keyboard port.

3. The computer of claim 2, wherein the keyboard is a PS/2 keyboard.

4. A method comprising:

disabling, via a first mechanism, a dedicated keyboard coupled to a dedicated keyboard port of a computer while a Power-On-Self-Test (POST) is executing in the computer; and

in response to the dedicated keyboard being disabled, disabling via a second mechanism, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port on the computer, wherein the USB port is selectively disabled during the POST, and wherein the selectively disabling of the USB port is dependent on the dedicated keyboard being prevented from inputting a signal during the POST.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising monitoring the USB port for an enabling password, the enabling password permitting the dedicated keyboard to be re-enabled.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising monitoring the USB port for an enabling password, the enabling password permitting the USB port to be re-enabled.

7. A computer comprising:

a first mechanism for disabling a dedicated keyboard coupled to a dedicated keyboard port of the computer; and

a second mechanism for disabling a Universal Serial Bus (USB) compliant keyboard coupled to the computer via a USB port, wherein the USB compliant keyboard is selectively locked out during a Power On Self-Test (POST), and wherein the USB compliant keyboard is selectively locked out as dependent on the dedicated keyboard being disabled during the POST.

8. The computer of claim 7, further comprising a keyboard sensing switch for monitoring the USB port for an enabling password, the enabling password permitting the dedicated keyboard to be re-enabled.

9. The computer of claim 7, further comprising a keyboard sensing switch for monitoring the USB port for an enabling password, the enabling password permitting the USB port to be re-enabled.