Secure portable storage device

• US 7,370,166 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lexar Media Incorporated (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chellamuthu, Senthil Kumar, Ramesh, Ahuja Gurmukhsingh
• Primary Examiner(s): Peugh; Brian R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bertram; Ryan
• Application Number:
  US11/118,959
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 711/163
• US Class Current: 711/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1433 for a module or a part of a module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/45 Structures or tools for the administration of authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• 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 2212/1052 Security improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0822 using key encryption key
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0863 involving passwords or one-time passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for using one-time keys in a packet data network H04L63/067
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms

Abstract

In one embodiment of the present invention, a secure storage system includes a removable storage device having a secure storage area for storage of secure data and a public storage area and device port for coupling the removable storage device to a host, the removable storage device appearing, to the host, to be non-removable so that the secure storage area remains hidden and the secure data remains secure.

Claims

1. A secure storage system comprising:

a removable storage device having a secure storage area for storage of secure data and a public storage area; and

device port for coupling the removable storage device to a host, the removable storage device configured to indicate to the host that the removable storage device is non-removable so that the secure storage area remains hidden.

2. A secure storage system as recited in claim 1 wherein the device port is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

3. A secure storage system as recited in claim 1 wherein the removable storage device includes non-volatile memory.

4. A secure storage system as recited in claim 1 wherein the removable storage device includes flash memory.

5. A secure storage system as recited in claim 1 wherein the removable storage device is configured to indicate to the host that the removable storage device is non-removable in response to an inquiry from the host.

6. A secure storage system as recited in claim 1 wherein the removable storage device is configured to encrypt the secure data prior to storage in the secure storage area.

7. A secure storage system as recited in claim 1 wherein the removable storage device is configured to encrypt, upon disconnecting the removable storage device from the host, secure data within the secure storage area that has been altered by a user.

8. A secure storage system as recited in claim 1 wherein the removable storage device is configured so that the secure area can be marked as hidden by the host.

9. A secure storage system as recited in claim 1 wherein the removable storage device is configured to prevent the host from assigning a drive name to the secure area.

10. A secure storage system as recited in claim 1 wherein the removable storage device is configured so that the secure area is only accessible using vendor-unique commands.

11. A secure storage system as recited in claim 1 wherein the removable storage device further comprises a master boot record configured to include information about a number and/or size of the storage areas of the removable storage device.

12. A secure storage system as recited in claim 11 wherein the master boot record is a read only memory.