Security system preventing computer access upon removal from a controlled area

• US 20040128560A1
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Challener, David Carroll, Dayan, Richard Allan
• Application Number:
  US10/334,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128560A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards

Abstract

A control unit transmits an ultrasonic signal having a distinctive characteristic within a controlled area. A protected unit stores two passwords in a non-volatile memory; a Power On Password (POP) and a Privileged Access Password (PAP). If the protected unit is removed from the controlled area, the PAP must be entered in order to re-boot the protected unit. In another embodiment, if the protected unit is removed from the controlled area, either the PAP must be entered in order to re-boot the protected unit, or the protected unit must be returned to the controlled area. Matching “token” generators may be used in both the control unit and the protected unit for added security, and the tokens may be encrypted for additional security.

Claims

1. A secure system, comprising:

a control unit having an ultrasonic transmitter for transmitting, within a controlled area, ultrasonic signals having a distinctive characteristic; and

a protected unit, comprising;

an operating system;

a first password stored in said protected unit;

means for entering a second password;

a password flag having logical “

0” and

“

1”

states;

an ultrasonic receiver for receiving the ultrasonic signals transmitted by said control unit;

detection logic operatively coupled to said ultrasonic receiver for setting the password flag to a logical “

1”

state in response to the loss of the ultrasonic signal as received by said ultrasonic receiver; and

boot code executable by said protected unit, wherein said boot code checks the logical state of said password flag and then performs one of the following functions depending on the logical state of said password flag;

if said password flag is in a logical “

0”

state, said boot code causes said operating system to boot, thereby enabling the normal operation of said protected unit;

if said password flag is in the logical “

1”

state, said boot code requests the entry of a second password and, in response to the entry of a second password identical to the first password as stored in said protected unit, said boot code causes said operating system to boot, thereby enabling the normal operation of said protected unit;

however, in response to a second password different from the first password as stored in said protected unit, said boot code inhibits the booting of the operating system, thereby disabling the normal operation of said protected unit.

whereby, when the protected unit is removed from the controlled area, thereby causing the loss of the ultrasonic signal as received by said ultrasonic receiver, a second password must be entered that is identical to the first password stored in said protected unit to permit the operating system to boot, thereby enabling the normal operation of the protected unit.

2. The secure system of claim 1, wherein the distinctive characteristic is the frequency of the ultrasonic signals as transmitted by said control unit.

3. The secure system of claim 1, wherein the distinctive characteristic is a predetermined digital code modulated onto the ultrasonic signals as transmitted by said control unit.

4. The secure system of claim 1, wherein the distinctive characteristic is an analog audio signal modulated onto the ultrasonic signals as transmitted by said control unit.

5. A protected unit for use with a control unit having an ultrasonic transmitter for transmitting, within a controlled area, ultrasonic signals having a distinctive characteristic, said protected unit comprising:

an operating system;

a first password stored in said protected unit;

means for entering a second password;

a password flag having logical “

0” and

“

1”

states;

an ultrasonic receiver for receiving the ultrasonic signals transmitted by the control unit;

detection logic operatively coupled to said ultrasonic receiver for setting the password flag to a logical “

1”

state in response to the loss of the ultrasonic signal as received by said ultrasonic receiver; and

boot code executable by said protected unit, wherein said boot code checks the logical state of said password flag and then performs one of the following functions depending on the logical state of said password flag;

if said password flag is in a logical “

0”

state, said boot code causes said operating system to boot, thereby enabling the normal operation of said protected unit;

if said password flag is in the logical “

1”

state, said boot code requests the entry of a second password and, in response to the entry of a second password identical to the first password as stored in said protected unit, said boot code causes said operating system to boot, thereby enabling the normal operation of said protected unit;

however, in response to a second password different from the first password as stored in said protected unit, said boot code inhibits the booting of the operating system, thereby disabling the normal operation of said protected unit.

whereby, when the protected unit is removed from the controlled area, thereby causing the loss of the ultrasonic signal as received by said ultrasonic receiver, a second password must be entered that is identical to the first password stored in said protected unit to permit the operating system to boot, thereby enabling the normal operation of the protected unit.

6. The secure system of claim 5, wherein the distinctive characteristic is the frequency of the ultrasonic signals as transmitted by said control unit.

7. The secure system of claim 5, wherein the distinctive characteristic is a predetermined digital code modulated onto the ultrasonic signals as transmitted by said control unit.

8. The secure system of claim 5, wherein the distinctive characteristic is an analog audio signal modulated onto the ultrasonic signals as transmitted by said control unit.