Removable drive with data encryption

• US 8,527,780 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2011
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STRONG BEAR, LLC
• Original Assignee: STRONG BEAR, LLC
• Inventors: Roberts, Rodney B., Gardner, Ronald B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arani, Taghi
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, JASON T
• Application Number:
  US13/098,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20110208977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 713/182, 713/193, 705/50
• US Class Current: 713/192
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption

Abstract

A removable drive such as a USB drive or key is provided for connecting to computer devices to provide secure and portable data storage. The drive includes a drive manager adapted to be run by an operating system of the computer device. The drive manager receives a password, generates a random key based on the password, encrypts a user-selected data file in memory of the computer device using the key, and stores the encrypted file in the memory of the removable drive. The drive manager performs the encryption of the data file without corresponding encryption applications being previously loaded on the computer system. The drive manager may include an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) cryptography algorithm. The drive manager generates a user interface that allows a user to enter passwords, select files for encryption and decryption, and create folders for storing the encrypted files on the removable drive.

Claims

1. A removable drive for connecting to computer devices and securely storing digital data, comprising:

a connector for communicatively connecting with a port of a computer device;

memory providing data storage on the removable drive; and

a removable drive manager adapted for being run by an operating system of the computer device to receive a password, to generate a key based on the password, to encrypt using the key a data file accessible in memory of the computer device, and to store the encrypted file in the memory of the removable drive,

wherein the removable drive manager is operable to perform the encryption of the data file without corresponding encryption applications being loaded on the computer device prior to the connector being connected to the port, whereby the memory of the computer device is free of a footprint of encrypting using the key from the data file.

2. The removable drive of claim 1, wherein the port comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port and wherein the operating system comprises a USB driver.

3. The removable drive of claim 1, wherein the removable drive manager comprises a cryptography algorithm comprising an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm for encrypting and decrypting using the password-based key.

4. The removable drive of claim 1, wherein the removable drive manager generates a user interface displayable on the computer device and adapted for receiving the password and a user selection of the data file for encryption and storage in the memory of the removable drive.

5. The removable drive of claim 1, wherein the removable drive manager operates to encrypt an additional data file with the data file including combining the data file with the additional data file and encrypting the combined data file and additional data file to form a single encrypted file for storage on in the memory of the removable drive.

6. The removable drive of claim 1, wherein the removable drive manager is further operable to receive an additional password from a user of the computer device, to generate a random key from the password, to receive a user selection of an additional data file, to encrypt the additional data file using the random key, and to store the encrypted additional data file.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the removable drive manager further operates to verify a password provided by a user of the computer device, to receive a request to decrypt the encrypted data file stored in the memory of the removable drive, and when the password is verified to produce a decrypted data file from the encrypted data file using the key.

8. A Universal Serial Bus (USB) removable device for connection to a USB port of a computer with a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising:

computer readable program code devices causing the computer to display a user interface on a monitor of the computer prompting a user for inputting a password, a selection of a data file on the computer, and a request for secure storage of the data file on the USB removable device;

computer readable program code devices causing the computer to generate a encrypt/decrypt key from the password;

computer readable program code devices causing the computer to encrypt the selected data file using the encrypt/decrypt key;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect storing of the encrypted data file on the USB removable device; and

computer readable program devices causing the computer to verify the input password including comparing the password with a stored key on the USB removable device,

wherein memory of the computer device is free of a footprint of the encrypting of the selected data file.

9. The USB removable device of claim 8, wherein additional computer readable program code devices are not provided on the computer to support operation of the computer readable program code devices during the encrypting of the selected data file.

10. The USB removable device of claim 8, wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to define a folder for storing the selected data file on the USB removable device and to perform the selection of the data file by moving an identifier for the data file to the defined folder.

11. The USB removable device of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program devices causing the computer to encrypt comprises an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm.

12. The USB removable device of claim 8, wherein the computer device comprises an operating system adapted for supporting USB.

13. The USB removable device of claim 8, wherein the user is prompted via the user interface for creation of a secure folder and selection of additional data files for inclusion in the secure folder, and wherein the computer readable program devices causing the computer to encrypt is operable to encrypt all the additional data files in the secure folder as a single merged file or as separate files using the encrypt/decrypt file.

14. The USB removable device of claim 8, further comprising computer readable program devices for causing the computer to decrypt the stored encrypted data file using the encrypt/decrypt key upon receiving an unlock request and verifying a password using the encrypt/decrypt key.

15. A USB removable drive, comprising:

memory storing encrypted private files and unencrypted public files;

a random key generator operable by an operating system of a computer system linked to the USB removable drive to generate a key based on a user password; and

a cryptography algorithm operable by the operating system to encrypt a user-selected one or more files for storing in the encrypted private files using the generated key and to decrypt the one or more of the encrypted private files identified in the request to decrypt, wherein the selected files are combined into a single file prior to the encrypting by the cryptography algorithm such that the selected files are encrypted and decrypted as a unitary file.

16. The drive of claim 15, wherein the cryptography algorithm is operable to perform the encryption of the selected one or more files without corresponding encryption applications being loaded on the computer system prior to the USB removable drive being connected to the port.

17. The drive of claim 16, wherein memory of the computer system is free of a footprint of the encryption using the generated key.

18. The drive of claim 15, wherein the cryptography algorithm is a standalone application that is able to perform AES-based encryption and decryption.

19. The drive of claim 15, further comprising a user interface generator operable by the operating system of the computer system to receive the user password, selection of the one or more files on the computer system for storing in the encrypted private files, and a request to decrypt one or more of the encrypted private files.