System and method for handling restoration operations on mobile devices

• US 20060021059A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Adams, Neil P., Brown, Michael S., Hammell, Jonathan F., Brown, Michael K., Kirkup, Michael G., Little, Herbert A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,707,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

Systems and methods for handling restoration operations for a mobile device. A mobile device receives a kill pill command, wherein the command causes some or all data on the mobile device to be wiped. An indicator is stored to indicate that the kill pill command was sent to the mobile device. The indicator is used to determine whether a program should be wiped from the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for handling data restoration operations on a mobile device, comprising:

receiving over a wireless communications network a kill pill command;

wherein the command causes data on the mobile device to be wiped;

storing an indicator in a non-volatile memory of the mobile device that the kill pill command was sent to the mobile device;

wherein upon updating the device after the kill pill command has wiped the data from the mobile device, using the indicator to determine whether a program should be wiped from the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device was lost, stolen, or missing;

wherein a malicious program was loaded onto the mobile device;

wherein the indicator stored in the non-volatile memory of the mobile device is used to determine that the malicious program from the mobile device is to be deleted.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the kill pill command is sent by an IT (information technology) administrator or an agent thereof in response to the mobile device becoming lost, stolen or missing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the kill pill command is a kill pill packet sent to the mobile device in order to cause all of the mobile device'"'"'s data to be wiped, thereby preventing the data'"'"'s disclosure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the kill pill command is a data wipe command;

wherein the indication is not erased during the wipe of the mobile device'"'"'s data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is later found;

wherein when the mobile device is recradled or begins an over-the-air synchronization to reload the mobile device'"'"'s data, the indication is checked;

wherein if the indication is present in the non-volatile store, then all applications or pre-specified applications are wiped from the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a program wipe configuration is provided to the mobile device that indicates which applications are to be wiped from the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the provided program wipe configuration specifies that any applications not provided by the mobile device'"'"'s manufacturer be wiped, while those applications provided by the manufacturer remains on the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the provided program wipe configuration includes a list that designates specific applications that are to be wiped during a reloading operation and specific applications that are to remain on the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the provided program wipe configuration is based upon an IT department policy which defines actions to take place on the next synchronization after a kill pill command is sent to a mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the provided program wipe configuration includes settings retrieved from a remotely located policy data store;

wherein the mobile device is pre-programmed with the settings which are configured for updating by an IT administrator or the mobile device has the initial settings provided by the IT administrator.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein if an indication is not found on the mobile device, then data is re-loaded onto the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein if a data synchronization is performed after the kill pill command is sent, an alert is provided to the mobile device'"'"'s user that the device has been wiped.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the alert to the mobile device'"'"'s user includes options from which the user can select;

wherein the options include wiping the device or continuing as normal.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein during reloading operations, the mobile device re-generates content protection keys.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a wireless mobile communications device.

17. A data signal that is transmitted using a network, wherein the data signal includes the kill pill command of claim 1.

18. Computer-readable medium capable of causing a computing device to perform the method of claim 1.

19. An apparatus for handling data restoration operations on a mobile device, wherein a kill pill command is sent to the mobile device, said apparatus comprising:

first instructions configured to execute upon the mobile device and configured to store an indicator in a non-volatile memory of the mobile device that the kill pill command was sent to the mobile device;

wherein the mobile device wipes data on the mobile device in response to the kill pill command;

second instructions configured to execute on the mobile device;

wherein after the mobile device is recovered, the second instructions are configured to use the indicator to determine whether a program should be wiped from the mobile device.

20. A system for handling data restoration operations on a mobile device, comprising:

means for receiving a kill pill command;

wherein the kill pill command causes data on the mobile device to be wiped;

means for storing an indicator that the kill pill command was sent to the mobile device;

means for determining whether a program should be wiped from the mobile device based upon whether an indicator is stored on the mobile device.