Providing an electronic device security and tracking system and method

• US 8,145,892 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Softex LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Softex Incorporated
• Inventors: Jain, Manoj Kumar, Bhansali, Apurva Mahendrakumar, Dube, Shradha, Rangarajan, Gayathri, Patel, Mehul Ramjibhai, Raikar, Rayesh Kashinath, Dhanani, Kamal Mansukhlal, Kapila, Ranjit, Varghese, Elza Abraham, Tucker, Thomas David
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tolentino, Roderick
• Application Number:
  US11/928,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20080134284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 713/2, 713/187, 713/194, 726/26, 726/34, 711/100, 711/164, 714/36
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning

Abstract

A system and method for providing an electronic device security and tracking system and method (ESTSM). A method includes but is not limited to accepting a selection of an opt-in to use the ESTSM service; and making available the ESTSM service.

Claims

1. A method of providing an electronic device security service, by an electronic device security and tracking system, the method comprising:

providing, to a user of an electronic device, a user interface which allows the user to request activation of a security service for the electronic device, the security service to provide security and tracking for the electronic device;

after providing the user interface to the user, receiving opt-in input from the user via the user interface, the opt-in input indicating that the user has requested activation of the security service; and

in response to receiving the opt-in input from the user, activating the security service,

wherein the system includes a non-viewable component, an application component that is connected to the non-viewable component, that is capable of communicating with the non-viewable component, that executes within an operating system environment, and that is capable of communicating through a secure medium with a server system, and a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) component connected to the non-viewable component,

wherein the BIOS component is configured to determine whether the non-viewable component is present and whether the non-viewable component has been tampered with,

wherein the BIOS component is configured to check integrity of the application component during a boot process for the electronic device,

wherein the BIOS component is configured to automatically cause the electronic device to restore the integrity of the application component, in response to a negative integrity check of the application component,

wherein the application component is substantially distinct from the BIOS component and the non-viewable component, and

wherein the non-viewable component is configured to determine whether the application component is present and whether the application component has been tampered with.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the user interface presents an option for requesting activation of the security service for the electronic device on a trial basis; and

the operation of activating the security service in response to receiving the opt-in input from the user comprises activating the security service on a trial basis.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of activating the security service comprises:

making available the security service free of charge.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of activating the security service comprises:

making available the security service in return for a fee.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of activating the security service is performed by a manufacturer of the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of activating the security service is performed by a third party.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sharing revenue generated by the security service between a party providing the security service and a third party.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

administering the security service for the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the operation of administering the security service for the electronic device is performed by a manufacturer of the electronic device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the operation of administering the security service for the electronic device is performed by a third party.

11. A system for providing an electronic device security service, comprising:

a server system;

an electronic device comprising hardware and software components, the hardware and software components operable to (a) support an operating system environment, to (b) communicate with the server system, to (c) present a user interface which allows a user of the electronic device to request activation of a security service for the electronic device, the security service to provide security and tracking for the electronic device, and to (d) send opt-in input from the user to the server system, the opt-in input indicating that the user has requested activation of the security service,

wherein the software components comprise (a) a non-viewable component, (b) an application component that is connected to the non-viewable component, that is capable of communicating with the non-viewable component, and that is operable to execute within the operating system environment, and (c) a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) security component connected to the non-viewable component,

wherein the server system is capable of communicating through a secure medium with the application component,

wherein, after the security service has been activated, the BIOS component is operable to (a) determine whether the non-viewable component is present and whether the non-viewable component has been tampered with, (b) check integrity of the application component during a boot process for the electronic device, and (c) automatically cause the electronic device to restore the integrity of the application component, in response to a negative integrity check of the application component,

wherein the application component is substantially distinct from the BIOS component and the non-viewable component, and

wherein the non-viewable component is operable to determine whether the application component is present and whether the application component has been tampered with.

13. The system of claim 11,

wherein the server system is operable to activate the security system for the electronic device in response to receiving the opt-in input from the user;

and

wherein the server system operates under control of a manufacturer of the electronic device.

14. The system of claim 11,

wherein the server system is operable to activate the security system for the electronic device in response to receiving the opt-in input from the user;

and

wherein the server system operates under control of a third party.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

hardware and software components operable to (a) support an operating system environment, to (b) communicate with a server system, to (c) present a user interface which allows a user of the electronic device to request activation of a security service for the electronic device, the security service to provide security and tracking for the electronic device, and to (d) send opt-in input from the user to the server system, the opt-in input indicating that the user has requested activation of the security service,

wherein the software components comprise (a) a non-viewable component, (b) an application component that is connected to the non-viewable component, that is capable of communicating with the non-viewable component, that is operable to execute within the operating system environment, and that is capable of communicating through a secure medium with the server system, and (c) a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) security component connected to the non-viewable component,

wherein, after the security service has been activated, (a) the non-viewable component is operable to determine whether the application component is present and whether the application component has been tampered with, and (b) the BIOS component is operable to (i) determine whether the non-viewable component is present and whether the non-viewable component has been tampered with, (ii) check integrity of the application component during a boot process for the electronic device, and (iii) automatically cause the electronic device to restore the integrity of the application component, in response to a negative integrity check of the application component, and

wherein the application component is substantially distinct from the BIOS component and the non-viewable component.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the hardware and software components are operable to provide for activation of the security service on a trial basis.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a non-transitory machine-readable medium; and

instructions in the non-transitory machine-readable medium, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising;

providing, to a user of the machine, a user interface which allows the user to request activation of a security service for the machine, the security service to provide security and tracking for the machine;

after providing the user interface to the user, receiving opt-in input from the user via the user interface, the opt-in input indicating that the user has requested activation of the security service; and

in response to receiving the opt-in input from the user, activating the security service,

wherein activation of the security service causes the machine to be provided with;

a non-viewable component,

an application component that is connected to the non-viewable component, that is capable of communicating with the non-viewable component, that executes within an operating system environment, and that is capable of communicating through a secure medium with a server system, and

a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) component connected to the non-viewable component,

wherein the BIOS component is configured to determine whether the non-viewable component is present and whether the non-viewable component has been tampered with,

wherein the BIOS component is configured to check integrity of the application component during a boot process for the machine,

wherein the BIOS component is configured to automatically cause the machine to restore the integrity of the application component, in response to a negative integrity check of the application component,

wherein the application component is substantially distinct from the BIOS component and the non-viewable component, and

wherein the non-viewable component is configured to determine whether the application component is present and whether the application component has been tampered with.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:

the user interface presents an option for requesting activation of the security service for the machine on a trial basis; and

the operation of activating the security service in response to receiving the opt-in input from the user comprises activating the security service on a trial basis.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the operation of activating the security service comprises:

making available the security service free of charge.

18. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the operation of activating the security service comprises:

making available the security service in return for a fee.