System and method for protecting assets using wide area network connection

• US 8,090,962 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Challener, David Carroll, Dubs, Justin Tyler, Thrasher, James Joseph, Vanover, Michael Terrell
• Primary Examiner(s): PYZOCHA, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US12/051,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20090241164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 713/183, 713/193, 713/194
• US Class Current: 713/194
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities

Abstract

A system, method, and program product is provided that detects whether a network adapter has been removed from a computer system. If the network adapter, such as a wireless network adapter, has been removed from the computer system, then a tamper evident indicator (e.g., bit) is set in a nonvolatile memory area of the computer system. In addition, a hard drive password is set to a different password according to a hard drive password policy. The hard drive password controls access to files stored on the hard drive. In one embodiment, the power-on password is also changed to a new password so that the user has to enter the new power-on password when initializing the computer system in order to access the files stored on the computer system.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method comprising:

setting a power-on password according to a power-on password policy;

detecting whether a network adapter has been removed from a computer system; and

in response to detecting that the network adapter has been removed from the computer system;

setting a tamper evident indicator in a nonvolatile memory of the computer system;

changing the power-on password to a supervisory password; and

setting a hard drive password according to a hard drive password policy, wherein the hard drive password protects files stored on a hard drive.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein the power-on password is entered by a user of the computer system when the computer system is initialized.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the network adapter is a wireless network adapter.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

while the computer system is operating, repeatedly checking whether the network adapter has been removed;

if, during one of the repeated checks, it is determined that the network adapter has been removed;

setting the tamper evident indicator in the nonvolatile memory;

reading the hard drive password policy;

based on the hard drive password policy, identifying a new hard drive password, wherein the setting of the hard drive password sets the hard drive password to the identified new hard drive password;

reading the power-on password policy;

based on the power-on password policy, identifying a new power-on password, wherein the power-on password that is used when the computer system is initialized is set to the identified new power-on password; and

shutting down the computer system.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

after the computer system has been shut down;

restarting the computer system by a user;

during an initialization process performed by the computer system, requesting that the user enter the new power-on password;

receiving a password response from the user;

comparing the password response received from the user with the new power-on password;

completing the initialization process and allowing the user to access files stored on the hard drive in response to the comparison revealing a match between the password response and the new power-on password; and

denying the user access to the files stored on the hard drive in response to the comparison revealing a mismatch between the password response and the new power-on password.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

checking the tamper evident indicator in the nonvolatile memory when during an initialization process that executes when the computer system is initialized;

in response to the tamper evident indicator indicating tampering with the network adapter during a previous use of the computer system;

requesting one or more power-on passwords from the user according to the power-on password policy;

receiving one or more password responses from the user;

comparing the password responses received from the user with one or more stored power-on passwords, the power-on password included in the one or more stored power-on passwords;

completing the initialization process and allowing the user to access files stored on the hard drive in response to the comparison revealing a match between the password responses and the stored power-on passwords; and

denying the user access to the files stored on the hard drive in response to the comparison revealing a mismatch between one of the password responses and one of the stored power-on passwords.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

in response to the tamper evident indicator not indicating tampering with the network adapter during the previous use of the computer system;

checking whether the network adapter is currently present in the computer system;

in response to the checking revealing that the network adapter is not present in the computer system;

setting the tamper evident indicator in the nonvolatile memory;

reading the hard drive password policy;

based on the hard drive password policy, identifying a new hard drive password, wherein the setting of the hard drive password sets the hard drive password to the identified new hard drive password;

reading the power-on password policy;

based on the power-on password policy, establishing one or more power-on passwords, wherein the established power-on passwords are required from the user in order to allow the user access to files stored on the hard drive, and wherein the power-on password is included in the established power-on passwords; and

prompting the user to enter the established one or more power-on passwords.

8. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by at least one of the processors;

a nonvolatile storage device accessible by at least one of the processors;

a network adapter, accessible by at least one of the processors, that connects the information handling system to a computer network; and

a set of instructions which are loaded into memory and executed by at least one of the processors in order to perform actions of;

setting a power-on password according to a power-on password policy;

detecting whether the network adapter has been removed from the information handling system; and

in response to detecting that the network adapter has been removed from the information handling system;

setting a tamper evident indicator in a nonvolatile memory of the information handling system;

changing the power-on password to a supervisory password; and

setting a hard drive password according to a hard drive password policy, wherein the hard drive password protects files stored on a hard drive.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the instructions executed by at least one of the processors perform additional actions comprising:

wherein the power-on password is entered by a user of the information handling system when the information handling system is initialized.

10. The information handling system of claim 9 wherein the network adapter is a wireless network adapter.

11. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the instructions executed by at least one of the processors perform additional actions comprising:

while the information handling system is operating, repeatedly checking whether the network adapter has been removed;

if, during one of the repeated checks, it is determined that the network adapter has been removed;

setting the tamper evident indicator in the nonvolatile memory;

reading the hard drive password policy;

based on the hard drive password policy, identifying a new hard drive password, wherein the setting of the hard drive password sets the hard drive password to the identified new hard drive password;

reading the power-on password policy;

based on the power-on password policy, identifying a new power-on password, wherein the power-on password that is used when the information handling system is initialized is set to the identified new power-on password; and

shutting down the information handling system.

12. The information handling system of claim 11 wherein the instructions executed by at least one of the processors perform additional actions comprising:

after the information handling system has been shut down;

restarting the information handling system by a user;

during an initialization process performed by the information handling system, requesting that the user enter the new power-on password;

receiving a password response from the user;

comparing the password response received from the user with the new power-on password;

completing the initialization process and allowing the user to access files stored on the hard drive in response to the comparison revealing a match between the password response and the new power-on password; and

denying the user access to the files stored on the hard drive in response to the comparison revealing a mismatch between the password response and the new power-on password.

13. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the instructions executed by at least one of the processors perform additional actions comprising:

checking the tamper evident indicator in the nonvolatile memory when during an initialization process that executes when the information handling system is initialized;

in response to the tamper evident indicator indicating tampering with the network adapter during a previous use of the information handling system;

requesting one or more power-on passwords from the user according to the power-on password policy;

receiving one or more password responses from the user;

comparing the password responses received from the user with one or more stored power-on passwords, the power-on password included in the one or more stored power-on passwords;

completing the initialization process and allowing the user to access files stored on the hard drive in response to the comparison revealing a match between the password responses and the stored power-on passwords; and

denying the user access to the files stored on the hard drive in response to the comparison revealing a mismatch between one of the password responses and one of the stored power-on passwords.

14. The information handling system of claim 13 wherein the instructions executed by at least one of the processors perform additional actions comprising:

in response to the tamper evident indicator not indicating tampering with the network adapter during the previous use of the information handling system;

checking whether the network adapter is currently present in the information handling system;

in response to the checking revealing that the network adapter is not present in the information handling system;

setting the tamper evident indicator in the nonvolatile memory;

reading the hard drive password policy;

based on the hard drive password policy, identifying a new hard drive password, wherein the setting of the hard drive password sets the hard drive password to the identified new hard drive password;

reading the power-on password policy;

based on the power-on password policy, establishing one or more power-on passwords, wherein the established power-on passwords are required from the user in order to allow the user access to files stored on the hard drive, and wherein the power-on password is included in the established power-on passwords; and

prompting the user to enter the established one or more power-on passwords.

15. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by an information handling system, causes the information handling system to perform actions that include:

setting a power-on password according to a power-on password policy;

detecting whether a network adapter has been removed from the information handling system; and

in response to detecting that the network adapter has been removed from the information handling system;

setting a tamper evident indicator in a nonvolatile memory of the information handling system;

changing the power-on password to a supervisory password; and

setting a hard drive password according to a hard drive password policy, wherein the hard drive password protects files stored on a hard drive.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the network adapter is a wireless network adapter.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising functional descriptive material that causes the information handling system to perform additional actions that include:

while the information handling system is operating, repeatedly checking whether the network adapter has been removed;

if, during one of the repeated checks, it is determined that the network adapter has been removed;

setting the tamper evident indicator in the nonvolatile memory;

reading the hard drive password policy;

based on the hard drive password policy, identifying a new hard drive password, wherein the setting of the hard drive password sets the hard drive password to the identified new hard drive password;

reading the power-on password policy;

based on the power-on password policy, identifying a new power-on password, wherein the power-on password that is used when the information handling system is initialized is set to the identified new power-on password; and

shutting down the information handling system.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising functional descriptive material that causes the information handling system to perform additional actions that include:

after the information handling system has been shut down;

restarting the information handling system by a user;

during an initialization process performed by the information handling system, requesting that the user enter the new power-on password;

receiving a password response from the user;

comparing the password response received from the user with the new power-on password;

completing the initialization process and allowing the user to access files stored on the hard drive in response to the comparison revealing a match between the password response and the new power-on password; and

denying the user access to the files stored on the hard drive in response to the comparison revealing a mismatch between the password response and the new power-on password.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising functional descriptive material that causes the information handling system to perform additional actions that include:

checking the tamper evident indicator in the nonvolatile memory when during an initialization process that executes when the information handling system is initialized;

in response to the tamper evident indicator indicating tampering with the network adapter during a previous use of the information handling system;

requesting one or more power-on passwords from the user according to the power-on password policy;

receiving one or more password responses from the user;

comparing the password responses received from the user with one or more stored power-on passwords, the power-on password included in the one or more stored power-on passwords;

completing the initialization process and allowing the user to access files stored on the hard drive in response to the comparison revealing a match between the password responses and the stored power-on passwords; and

denying the user access to the files stored on the hard drive in response to the comparison revealing a mismatch between one of the password responses and one of the stored power-on passwords.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising functional descriptive material that causes the information handling system to perform additional actions that include:

in response to the tamper evident indicator not indicating tampering with the network adapter during the previous use of the information handling system;

checking whether the network adapter is currently present in the information handling system;

in response to the checking revealing that the network adapter is not present in the information handling system;

setting the tamper evident indicator in the nonvolatile memory;

reading the hard drive password policy;

based on the hard drive password policy, identifying a new hard drive password, wherein the setting of the hard drive password sets the hard drive password to the identified new hard drive password;

reading the power-on password policy;

based on the power-on password policy, establishing one or more power-on passwords, wherein the established power-on passwords are required from the user in order to allow the user access to files stored on the hard drive, and wherein the power-on password is included in the established power-on passwords; and

prompting the user to enter the established one or more power-on passwords.