System and method for general purpose encryption of data

• US 9,658,969 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2016
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Stufflebeam, Jr., Kenneth W., Kopp, Michele
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, KENNETH W
• Application Number:
  US15/047,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20160246738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1408 by using cryptography for digital transmission H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• 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 21/71 to assure secure computing or processing of information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/72 in cryptographic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1052 Security improvement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms

Abstract

Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with traditional approaches to encryption and decryption of data are provided. An information handling system may include a processor, a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, and an encryption accelerator communicatively coupled to the processor. The encryption accelerator may be configured to encrypt and decrypt information in accordance with a plurality of cryptographic functions, receive a command from the processor to perform an encryption or decryption task upon data associated with an input/output operation, and in response to receiving the command, encrypt or decrypt the data associated with the input/output operation based on a particular one of the plurality of cryptographic functions.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor;

a storage resource communicatively coupled to the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions, when loaded and executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

determine an encryption status of a boot volume of the storage resource;

initiate encryption or decryption of data stored on the boot volume;

track the encryption status of the boot volume by periodically storing, during an encryption or decryption of data stored on the boot volume, a variable indicating a portion of the boot volume that has been encrypted or decrypted and whether the boot volume is partially encrypted or decrypted;

in response to an interruption to the encryption or decryption of data stored on the boot volume, determine whether the boot volume is in a partially encrypted or decrypted state; and

based on the determination that the boot volume is in the partially encrypted or decrypted state, boot from the boot volume in the partially encrypted or decrypted state.

2. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine the variable by combining a first variable indicating the portion of the boot volume that has been encrypted or decrypted and a second variable indicating whether the boot volume is partially encrypted or decrypted.

3. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the variable indicates an address of a last encrypted or decrypted sector of the boot volume.

4. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the storage resource includes a sealed encryption key that is unique to the storage resource.

5. The information handling system of claim 4, further comprising a cryptoprocessor communicatively coupled to the processor, the cryptoprocessor configured to unwrap the unique sealed encryption key for use in connection with an encryption or decryption task to be performed on data from the storage resource.

6. The information handling system of claim 5, wherein the cryptoprocessor is further configured to authenticate that a user associated with the data is authorized to provide the unique sealed encryption key.

7. A method for encryption and decryption of data, comprising:

determining, by a processor loading and executing instructions stored on a memory, an encryption status of a boot volume of a storage resource;

initiating, by the processor, encryption or decryption of data stored on the boot volume;

tracking, by the processor, the encryption status of the boot volume by periodically storing, during an encryption or decryption of data stored on the boot volume, a variable indicating a portion of the boot volume that has been encrypted or decrypted and whether the boot volume is partially encrypted or decrypted;

in response to an interruption to the encryption or decryption of data stored on the boot volume, determining whether the boot volume is in a partially encrypted or decrypted state; and

based on the determination that the boot volume is in the partially encrypted or decrypted state, booting from the boot volume in the partially encrypted or decrypted state.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining, by the processor, the variable by combining a first variable indicating the portion of the boot volume that has been encrypted or decrypted and a second variable indicating whether the boot volume is partially encrypted or decrypted.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the variable indicates an address of a last encrypted or decrypted sector of the boot volume.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the storage resource includes a sealed encryption key that is unique to the storage resource.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising unwrapping, by a cryptoprocessor communicatively coupled to the processor, the unique sealed encryption key for use in connection with an encryption or decryption task to be performed on data from the storage resource.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising authenticating, by the cryptoprocessor, that a user associated with the data is authorized to provide the unique sealed encryption key.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, the instructions readable by a processor and, when read and executed, configured to cause the processor to:

determine an encryption status of a boot volume of a storage resource;

initiate encryption or decryption of data stored on the boot volume;

track the encryption status of the boot volume by periodically storing, during an encryption or decryption of data stored on the boot volume, a variable indicating a portion of the boot volume that has been encrypted or decrypted and whether the boot volume is partially encrypted or decrypted;

in response to an interruption to the encryption or decryption of data stored on the boot volume, determine whether the boot volume is in a partially encrypted or decrypted state; and

based on the determination that the boot volume is in the partially encrypted or decrypted state, boot from the boot volume in the partially encrypted or decrypted state.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to determine the variable by combining a first variable indicating the portion of the boot volume that has been encrypted or decrypted and a second variable indicating whether the boot volume is partially encrypted or decrypted.