Data processing system and method for remote recovery of a primary password

• US 6,978,385 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2000
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Janick, Jan M., Cromer, Daryl Carvis, Desai, Dhruv Manmohandas, Cheston, Richard W., Ward, James Peter, Dayan, Richard Alan, Locker, Howard Jeffery, Trotter, Andy Lloyd
• Primary Examiner(s): REVAK, CHRISTOPHER A
• Application Number:
  US09/516,430
• Time in Patent Office: 2,120 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 713182-185, 713200-202, 709/204, 709/206, 705/50, 705/64, 705/65, 705/67, 705/72, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.51, 340/5.54, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.85, 340/825
• US Class Current: 726/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2131 Lost password, e.g. recovery of lost or forgotten passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A data processing system and method are disclosed for remotely recovering a client computer system'"'"'s primary password. The primary password be correctly entered prior to the client computer system becoming fully accessible to a user. The client computer system is coupled to a server computer system utilizing a network. Prior to the client computer system completing a boot process, a user is prompted to enter the primary password. An interrogative password method is provided in response to an incorrect entry of the primary password. The primary password is recoverable in response to a successful execution of the interrogative password method. The primary password is recoverable from the server computer system by the client computer system prior to said client computer system completing said boot process utilizing the interrogative password method.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for remotely recovering a client computer system'"'"'s primary password, the client computer system being coupled to a server computer utilizing a network, the method comprising the steps of:

prior to the client computer system completing a boot process and before an operating system controls the client computer system;

(a) prompting a user to enter a primary password, correct entry of the primary password being required prior to the client computer system being accessible by a user;

(b) transmitting an alert to the server computer in response to an incorrect entry of the primary password;

(c) receiving an interrogative associated with the user of the client computer system, but which is different than the primary password;

(d) prompting the user with the received interrogative;

(e) transmitting the user'"'"'s response to the interrogative to the server,

(f) verifying correct entry of the transmitted response at the server;

(g) transmitting the user'"'"'s primary password to the client computer system in response to correct entry of the transmitted response; and

(h) displaying the user'"'"'s primary password wherein the recovery of the primary password is completed prior to completing the boot process.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing said interrogative including a question and correct answer pair.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of recovering said primary password from said server computer system in response to a successful completion of said interrogative.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

displaying said question included within said interrogative utilizing said client computer system in response to an incorrect entry of said primary password; and

prompting a user to enter an answer to said question, wherein an entry of said correct answer will successfully complete said interrogative.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of:

establishing a unique client identifier; and

storing said question and said correct answer together with said unique client identifier in said server computer system.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a request for said question utilizing said client computer system in response to an incorrect entry of said primary password, said request including said unique client identifier; and

transmitting said question utilizing said server computer system in response to a receipt of said request.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a proposed answer to said question utilizing said client computer system; and

determining whether said proposed answer is said correct answer utilizing said server computer system.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of prohibiting access to said client computer system by prohibiting transmission of said primary password in response to said proposed answer being unequal to said correct answer.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of completing said boot process in response to said client computer system receiving said primary password from said server computer system.

10. A system for remotely recovering, a client computer system'"'"'s primary password comprising:

a client computer system that prompts a user to enter a primary password prior to the client computer system completing a boot process and before an operating system controls the client computer system, correct entry of the primary password being required prior to the client computer system being accessible by a user; and

,

a network device coupled to the client computer system and to a server computer utilizing a network, wherein the network device is capable of;

(a) transmits an alert to the server computer in response to an incorrect entry of the primary password and is capable of receiving an interrogative associated with the user of the client computer system, but which is different than the primary password,

(b) prompting the user with the received interrogative;

(c) transmitting the user'"'"'s response to the interrogative to the server;

(d) receiving the user'"'"'s primary password in response to a correct transmitted response; and

(e) displaying the user'"'"'s primary password, wherein the recovery of the primary password is completed prior to completing the boot process.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the client computer system displays a question included within said interrogative in response to an incorrect entry of said primary password;

and prompts a user to enter an answer to said question, wherein an entry of said correct answer will successfully complete said interrogative.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the client computer system completes said boot process in response to said client computer system receiving said primary password from said server computer system.

13. An article of manufacture comprising machine-readable medium including program logic embedded therein that causes control circuitry for remotely recovering a client computer system'"'"'s primary password, the client computer system being coupled to a server computer utilizing a network, to perform the steps of:

prior to the client computer system completing a boot process and before an operating system controls the client computer system;

(a) prompting a user to enter a primary password, correct entry of the primary password being required prior to the client computer system being accessible by a user;

(b) transmitting an alert to the server computer in response to an incorrect entry of the primary password;

(c) receiving an interrogative associated with the user of the client computer system, but which is different than the primary password;

(d) prompting the user with the received interrogative;

(e) transmitting the user'"'"'s response to the interrogative to the server;

(f) verifying correct entry of the transmitted response at the server;

(g) transmitting the user'"'"'s primary password to the client computer system in response to correct entry of the transmitted response; and

(h) displaying the user'"'"'s primary password wherein the recovery of the primary password is completed prior to completing the boot process.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing said interrogative including a question and correct answer pair.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14, further comprising the step of recovering said primary password from said server computer system in response to a successful completion of said interrogative.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

displaying said question included within said interrogative utilizing said client computer system in response to an incorrect entry of said primary password; and

prompting a user to enter an answer to said question, wherein an entry of said correct answer will successfully complete said interrogative.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

establishing a unique client identifier; and

storing said question and said correct answer together with said unique client identifier in said server computer system.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a request for said question utilizing said client computer system in response to an incorrect entry of said primary password, said request including said unique client identifier; and

transmitting said question utilizing said server computer system in response to a receipt of said request.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a proposed answer to said question utilizing said client computer system; and

determining whether said proposed answer is said correct answer utilizing said server computer system.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, further comprising the step of prohibiting access to said client computer system by prohibiting transmission of said primary password in response to said proposed answer being unequal to said correct answer.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 20, further comprising the step of completing said boot process in response to said client computer system receiving said primary password from said server computer system.