Bootable covert communications module

• US 8,868,898 B1
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Van Hoof
• Original Assignee: Robert Van Hoof
• Inventors: Van Hoof, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoynov, Stefan
• Application Number:
  US13/550,299
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/182, 713/189, 710/200, 710/305, 726/2, 726/22, 726/26
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect

Abstract

A method for a covert communication system comprising a pair of flash memory devices having encrypted boot instructions and communication software thereon whereby the flash memory devices once plugged into a computer'"'"'s USB ports and the computer is powered on, the flash memory boot load tests for the presence of a flash memory device dongle having an encrypted key that that once validated starts the encrypted communication software designed to create, edit, send and receive a report comprising data files forming a data package, which can only be transmitted by restarting the computer.

Claims

1. A method for providing a covert communication system from any computer comprising:

a) providing a first USB storage device having encrypted software thereon wherein said software comprises an encrypted operating system and encrypted communication application software;

b) providing a second USB storage device as a dongle having a passcode thereon, said second USB device having a boot sector;

c) said computer having Internet access and enabled with a pair of USB ports capable of receiving said USB storage devices therein;

d) plugging both said USB devices into said computer prior to powering on said computer;

e) said computer booting from the second USB storage device boot sector, wherein said encrypted communications application software initially verifies the authenticity of USB devices through mating security keys, and said encrypted communications application software provides a login procedure once authenticity of said USB devices is authenticated;

e) and wherein said encrypted communications application software provides a login procedure with a data destruct function that is executed after a predetermined number of login failures;

f) said encrypted communications application software providing a GUI interface once login authenticity is verified, said GUI interface providing means for creating a report, uploading files, creating a communications package, sending and receiving said package, and opening said package and package updates; and

g) wherein said communications package sent and receive transmission requires a system restart to execute said send and receive function.