Selective storage device wiping system and method

• US 9,665,743 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WhiteCanyon Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: WhiteCanyon Software, Inc.
• Inventors: Pedigo, Daniel S., Griffes, Donald E., Barak, Tuvia
• Primary Examiner(s): Gu, Shawn X
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDOUARD, JEAN C
• Application Number:
  US14/632,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20160253529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen

Abstract

a storage device wiping system and method that is activated from a remote server or other site when a computer is reported lost or stolen. The wipe technique selectively wipes all data files and free space before beginning to wipe the entire storage device. This causes any personal data files, photos, videos, and the like to be wiped first. Once the wiping process starts, it will continue until complete. The process starts or continues whenever the computer is booted. Only when all personal and sensitive data is wiped, will the system then change the encryption key (if there is one) and begin wiping the entire storage device.

Claims

1. A method for converting personal information on a storage device installed in a target computer from an accessible state to a inaccessible state comprising:

assigning a unique ID to the target computer storing files in an accessible state;

placing a first set of executable instructions on a control computer, the control computer connected to a network and adapted to access a database;

registering the unique ID of the target computer in the database;

placing a second set of executable instructions on the target computer, the target computer connectable to the network;

the second set of executable instructions automatically executing whenever the target computer boots;

the second set of executable instructions transmitting the unique ID of the target computer over the network to the control computer and requesting status of the target computer;

the first set of executable instructions upon receiving the unique ID of the target computer, accessing the database to determine the status of the target computer;

the first set of executable instructions returning the status to the target computer over the network;

the second set of executable instructions receiving the status and either turning control over to the operating system or firmware of the target computer if the status is safe leaving the personal data in the accessible state, or initiating a wipe operation on the target computer if the status is unsafe converting the personal data to an inaccessible state;

if the status is unsafe, the second set of executable instructions selectively wiping addressed locations belonging to specific files from the storage device by sending write commands to the storage device, the write commands referencing wipe data patterns, the wipe operation proceeding on a file-by-file basis first wiping addressed locations of data files, then wiping addressed locations of free space, and finally wiping the entire storage device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing the steps of transmitting the ID and requesting status receiving the status and turning control over or initiating a wipe operation periodically during normal operation of the target computer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said data files include documents, photographs, videos and spreadsheets.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising wiping all applications before commencing wiping of the entire storage device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising wiping all executable binary files before commencing wiping of the entire storage device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing an encryption key related to the storage device memory before commencing wiping the entire storage device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a list of filenames to be overwritten on the storage device.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising wiping files from the storage device according to the list of filenames.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the wipe operation resumes each time the target computer is booted.

10. A method of wiping personal data from a computer having a storage device with a file directory thus converting the personal data from an accessible state to an inaccessible state comprising:

determining if the computer is safe or unsafe by communicating over a network with a server;

the server including a database that contains a safe or unsafe status for the computer;

if the computer is unsafe, performing the following steps;

(a) determining the file system type;

(b) reading the directory, according to the file system type;

(c) first issuing data write commands writing wipe data patterns to only and all addressed locations associated with user data files placed on or created on the computer after an initial software load converting these files to the inaccessible state;

(d) subsequently issuing write commands writing wipe data patterns to only and all addressed locations associated with free space converting all free space locations to the inaccessible state.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising also performing the following steps after steps (a), (b), (c) and (d) if the computer is unsafe:

(e) third changing any encryption key on the storage device;

(f) issuing write commands containing wipe data to all remaining addressed locations on the storage device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein steps (c) and (d) resume being performed each time the computer is booted.

13. A method for preventing loss of personal information from a storage device by converting the personal data from an accessible state to an inaccessible state comprising selectively wiping data located at addresses belonging to files containing personal data from the storage device by sending write commands to the storage device, the wiping proceeding on a file-by-file basis first wiping addressed locations of all data files, then subsequently wiping addressed locations of free space, wherein, after wiping data that was stored at the addressed locations is not readable.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining if the target computer is safe or unsafe by communicating with a remote server before selectively wiping.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the remote server queries a database to determine if the target computer is safe or unsafe.