Methods to securely bind an encryption key to a storage device

• US 8,332,604 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Mangold, Richard P., Hensgen, Debra, Trika, Sanjeev N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dudek, Jr., Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fishburn, John P
• Application Number:
  US12/286,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/164
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/02 Addressing or allocation; Relocation program address sequencing G06F9/00; arrangements for selecting an address in a digital store G11C8/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1408 by using cryptography for digital transmission H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/80 in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption

Abstract

Embodiments of methods to securely bind a disk cache encryption key to a cache device are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method for managing a cache key in a device, comprising:

binding a solid-state drive cache system to a hard disk drive to include negotiating a cryptographic algorithm for authentication and establishment of a secure channel between the solid-state drive cache system and the hard disk drive;

identifying a disk location in the hard disk drive and storing the cache key in the disk location;

storing the disk location in the solid-state drive cache system;

enabling caching of the hard disk drive to the solid-state drive cache system to provide write access of user/cache data; and

encrypting solid-state drive cache system with the cache key.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the cache key by auto generation or by providing the cache key from a user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the cache key in the solid-state drive cache system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if cache security is enabled.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising limiting a function of the solid-state drive cache system before storing the cache key in the solid-state drive cache system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting a confirmation key to authenticate a user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising triggering the solid-state drive cache system to authenticate the hard disk drive in response to one of a power cycle, a time period, a usage volume, and a random event.

8. A non-transitory machine-accessible medium that provides instructions, which when accessed, cause a machine to perform operations for managing a cache key in a device, the operations comprising:

binding a solid-state drive cache system to a hard disk drive to include negotiating a cryptographic algorithm for authentication and establishment of a secure channel between the solid-state drive cache system and the hard disk drive;

identifying a disk location in the hard disk drive and storing the cache key in the disk location;

storing the disk location in the solid-state drive cache system;

enabling caching of the hard disk drive to the solid-state drive cache system to provide write access of user/cache data; and

encrypting the solid-state drive cache system with the cache key.

9. The non-transitory machine-accessible medium of claim 8, further comprising determining if cache security is enabled.

10. The non-transitory machine-accessible medium of claim 8, further comprising limiting a function of the solid-state drive cache system before storing the disk location in the solid-state drive cache system.

11. The non-transitory machine-accessible medium of claim 8, further comprising generating the cache key by auto generation or by providing the cache key from a user.

12. The non-transitory machine-accessible medium of claim 8, further comprising requesting a confirmation key to authenticate a user.

13. The non-transitory machine-accessible medium of claim 8, further comprising triggering the solid-state drive cache system to authenticate the hard disk drive in response to one of a power cycle, a time period, a usage volume, and a random event.