Removable devices

• US 8,612,671 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Ramesh, Ahuja Gurmukhsingh, Chellamuthu, Senthil Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertram, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US13/419,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20120174188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 711/154, 711163-164, 711/170, 711/173
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1433 for a module or a part of a module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/45 Structures or tools for the administration of authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1052 Security improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0822 using key encryption key
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0863 involving passwords or one-time passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for using one-time keys in a packet data network H04L63/067
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms

Abstract

Methods and removable devices are provided. Some such removable devices may include a secure partition and a public partition. The secure partition is not accessible by an operating system of a host for some embodiments. The secure partition is configured to store information so that formatting/reformatting does not alter the stored information for other embodiments.

Claims

1. A removable device comprising:

a secure partition; and

a public partition;

wherein the secure partition is not accessible by an operating system of a host; and

wherein the removable device is caused to be known as a non-removable device to the operating system of the host.

2. The removable device of claim 1, wherein the secure partition is only accessible and/or readable by use of vendor unique commands.

3. The removable device of claim 1, wherein the removable device prevents the operating system of the host from assigning a drive indicator to the removable device.

4. A removable device comprising:

a secure partition;

a public partition; and

a master boot record that is protected using vendor unique commands only once the removable device is partitioned to include the secure partition;

wherein the secure partition is configured to store information so that formatting/reformatting does not alter the stored information.

5. The removable device of claim 4, wherein the secure partition is marked as hidden.

6. The removable device of claim 5, wherein the secure partition is marked as hidden by an attribute in a master boot record of the removable device.

12. The removable device of claim 4, further comprising a reserve memory area configured to store encrypted information only accessible using vendor unique commands.

7. A removable device comprising:

a secure partition;

a public partition; and

a master boot record that is read-only once the device is partitioned;

wherein the secure partition is configured to store information so that formatting/reformatting does not alter the stored information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the read-only master boot record acts to prevent unauthorized deletion of the secure partition.

9. The removable device of claim 7, wherein when the master boot record is read-only once the device is partitioned, the master boot record is readable using vendor unique commands only.

10. The removable device of claim 7, wherein the master boot record maintains information about partitioning of the removable device.

11. The removable device of claim 10, wherein the information about the partitioning of the removable device maintained by the master boot record is in a form of a memory map.

13. A method of creating a partition in a removable device, comprising:

authenticating a user;

receiving a size to be allocated to the partition;

programming a master boot record with information regarding the partition;

prompting the user for an input indicative of whether the partition is a secure partition;

creating a secure partition having the size allocated thereto if the input indicates that the partition is to be a secure partition; and

protecting the master boot record using only vendor unique commands if the partition is a secure partition.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising making the master boot record read-only if the partition is a secure partition.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein making the master boot record read-only acts to prevent unauthorized deletion of the secure partition.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the read-only master boot record is readable using vendor unique commands only.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising preventing an operating system from having the capability to assign a drive indicator to the partition if the partition is a secure partition.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the user is authenticated either by fingerprint verification or password verification.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising changing the master boot record to reflect the partition if the partition is a secure partition before protecting the master boot record.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising marking the secure partition as hidden.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the size to be allocated to the partition is received from the user.