System and method for lost data destruction of electronic data stored on a portable electronic device using a security interval

• US 7,607,027 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2008
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beachhead Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beachhead Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Hanay, John W., Yuryev, Yuri, Williams, Cuong G., Rensin, David K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Revak; Christopher A
• Application Number:
  US12/186,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20080304668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/313 using a call-back technique via a telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

A data security system and method protects stored data from unauthorized access. According to one aspect of the invention, a client computing device communicates periodically with a server. If communications is not established between the client and the server for a selected activation interval and a subsequent grace period, the data is determined to be lost, and programmed security rules are automatically executed.

Claims

1. A method of securing data stored on a first electronic device, the electronic device adapted to communicate with a second electronic device, the first electronic device including an application containing one or more preprogrammed security features and having set therein an activation interval and a grace period, wherein the activation interval is a non-zero period and the grace period is a non-zero period, the method comprising the steps of:

automatically setting, upon communication between the first electronic device and the second electronic device, an activation timer within the first electronic device;

at a point in time subsequent to the automatically setting, determining that the activation interval has elapsed based upon the activation timer;

subsequent to the elapsing of the activation interval, automatically setting a grace timer within the first electronic device;

if, prior to the grace period elapsing, communication is established between the first electronic device and the second electronic device, re-setting the activation timer within the first electronic device based upon a signal from the second electronic device; and

if communication is not established between the first electronic device and the second electronic device prior to the grace period elapsing;

determining that the grace period has elapsed based upon the grace timer; and

initiating destruction of an encryption key stored on the first electronic device.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first electronic device is a portable electronic device.

3. The method according to claim 1 and further comprising initiating one or more preprogrammed security features responsive to the determining that the grace period has elapsed.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the destruction of an encryption key is initiated prior to the initiating the one or more preprogrammed security features.

5. The method according to claim 3 wherein the one or more preprogrammed security feature includes a sequence of security features.

6. The method according to claim 3 wherein the one or more preprogrammed security features includes encryption of electronic data on the first electronic device.

7. The method according to claim 3 wherein the one or more preprogrammed security features includes a sequence for destroying electronic data on the first electronic device, the sequence including the steps of:

determining a size of the electronic data;

creating a set of random data, wherein the size of the set of random data is equal to the size of the electronic data;

overwriting the electronic data with the set of random data; and

repeating a selected number of times, the steps of creating a set of random data and overwriting the electronic data.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the destruction of an encryption key renders certain electronic data on the first electronic device unusable.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the destruction of an encryption key renders encrypted data on the first electronic device unreachable.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of automatically setting the grace timer is not begun until after the first electronic device is turned on if the first electronic device was turned off when the activation interval elapsed.

11. A method of securing data stored on a first electronic device, the electronic device adapted to communicate with a second electronic device, the first electronic device including an application containing at least one preprogrammed security feature and having set therein an activation interval and a grace period, wherein the activation interval is a non-zero period and the grace period is a non-zero period, the method comprising the steps of:

automatically setting, upon communication between the first electronic device and the second electronic device, an activation timer within the first electronic device;

at a point in time subsequent to the automatically setting, determining that the activation interval has elapsed based upon the activation timer;

subsequent to the elapsing of the activation interval, automatically setting a grace timer within the first electronic device;

if, prior to the grace period elapsing, communication is established between the first electronic device and the second electronic device, re-setting the activation timer within the first electronic device based upon a signal from the second electronic device; and

if communication is not established between the first electronic device and the second electronic device prior to the grace period elapsing;

determining that the grace period has elapsed based upon the grace timer;

determining a size of selected electronic data on the first electronic device;

creating a set of random data, wherein the size of the set of random data is equal to the size of the selected electronic data; and

overwriting the selected electronic data with the set of random data.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the selected electronic data comprises one or more encryption keys.

13. The method according to claim 12 and further comprising initiating one or more preprogrammed security features responsive to the determining that the grace period has elapsed.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the overwriting the selected electronic data with the set of random data includes destroying the one or more encryption keys prior to the initiating the one or more preprogrammed security features.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the selected electronic data comprises one or more registers.

16. The method according to claim 11 and further comprising initiating encryption of other electronic data on the first electronic device responsive to the determining that the grace period has elapsed.

17. The method according to claim 11 wherein overwriting the electronic data with the set of random data includes repeating a selected number of times, the steps of creating a set of random data and overwriting the electronic data.

18. The method according to claim 11 wherein the first electronic device is a portable electronic device.

19. The method according to claim 11 wherein the at least one preprogrammed security feature is a sequence of security features.