SYSTEM AND METHOD TO FORCE A MOBILE DEVICE INTO A SECURE STATE

• US 20070180540A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cloud Software Group Switzerland GmbH
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Adams, Neil, Little, Herbert, Brown, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,042,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0253 Garbage collection, i.e. reclamation of unreferenced memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0261 using reference counting
• 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 2212/1052 Security improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for implementation on a mobile device to force the mobile device into a secure state upon detection or determination of a triggering event. Once it is determined that a triggering event has occurred, each application operating on the mobile device is caused to immediately unreference sensitive objects and a secure garbage collection operation is performed upon the unreferenced sensitive objects to render data associated therewith unreadable. The mobile device is then caused to enter a secure state, in which the mobile device cannot be accessed without authorization. A microprocessor within the mobile device is configured to determine the existence of the triggering event according to a configuration data structure and to perform the secure garbage collection.

Claims

1. A method of forcing a mobile device into a secure state, comprising:

waiting for a trigger, wherein the trigger is to be used as an indication to force the mobile device into a secure state;

determining that a trigger has occurred;

if a trigger has occurred, causing each application operating on the mobile device to immediately unreference sensitive objects;

performing secure garbage collection upon the unreferenced sensitive objects, wherein the secure garbage collection renders sensitive data associated with an unreferenced sensitive object unreadable; and

causing the mobile device to enter a secure state, in which the mobile device cannot be accessed without authorization.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger is determined in response to user selection of a menu option.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger is determined in response to user activation or actuation of one or more user input components on the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger is determined in response to a determined security threat.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the security threat is determined when a predetermined number of unsuccessful authorization attempts is made.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the security threat is determined when an application attempts to access a function or data for which the application is not authorized.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure garbage collection comprises calling a wipe function in relation to the unreferenced sensitive objects.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the secure garbage collection further comprises clearing a system clipboard of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the wipe function is a native wipe function that sets object data of the unreferenced sensitive objects to one of ones, zeroes and random data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wipe function over-writes the object data multiple times by setting the object data to one of ones, zeroes and random data each time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure garbage collection is performed upon all unreferenced objects that were referenced by the at least one application.

12. A system for operation on a mobile device, wherein the mobile device includes memory for storing at least one object used by a software program to access sensitive information stored on the mobile device, the system comprising:

a configuration data structure to store information about at least one triggering event, wherein the triggering event is used as an indication to force the mobile device into a secure state;

a garbage collection module having a data access pathway to the configuration data structure and the memory; and

a processor executing the garbage collection module and having access to the memory, the processor being configured to cause at least one application operating on the mobile device to immediately unreference sensitive objects referenced by the at least one application in response to a determination that a triggering event has occurred based on the information stored in the configuration data structure, the processor being further configured to perform a secure garbage collection with respect to the unreferenced sensitive objects and to cause the mobile device to enter a secure state in which the mobile device cannot be accessed without authorization.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to perform the secure garbage collection by calling a wipe function immediately in response to unreferencing of the sensitive objects.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to cause the mobile device to enter the secure state immediately in response to completion of the wipe function.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the secure garbage collection further comprises clearing a system clipboard of the mobile device.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the wipe function is a native wipe function that sets object data of the unreferenced sensitive objects to one of ones, zeroes and random data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the wipe function over-writes the object data multiple times by setting the object data to one of ones, zeroes and random data each time.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to cause all applications operating on the mobile device to immediately unreference sensitive objects referenced by the respective applications in response to the triggering event.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the triggering event comprises user selection of a menu option.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the triggering event comprises user activation or actuation of one or more input components on the mobile device.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the triggering event comprises a determined security threat.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the security threat is determined when a predetermined number of unsuccessful authorization attempts is made.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the security threat is determined when an application attempts to access a function or data for which the application is not authorized.

24. A mobile device comprising:

a microprocessor configured to execute a software program that handles sensitive information and to access a configuration data structure storing information about at least one triggering event, wherein the triggering event is used as an indication to force the mobile device into a secure state;

heap memory for storing at least one object used by the software program to access the sensitive information; and

a garbage collection module operable on the microprocessor and having a data access pathway to the heap memory;

wherein the microprocessor is configured to cause the software program to immediately unreference the at least one object in response to determination by the microprocessor that a triggering event has occurred and to cause the garbage collection module to perform a secure garbage collection in respect of the unreferenced object, and wherein the microprocessor is further configured to cause the mobile device to enter a secure state following performance of the secure garbage collection.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the processor is configured to cause the garbage collection module to perform the secure garbage collection by calling a wipe function immediately in response to unreferencing of the sensitive objects.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the processor is configured to cause the mobile device to enter the secure state immediately in response to completion of the wipe function.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein the secure garbage collection further comprises clearing a system clipboard of the mobile device.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein the wipe function is a native wipe function that sets object data of the unreferenced sensitive objects to one of ones, zeroes and random data.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the wipe function over-writes the object data multiple times by setting the object data to one of ones, zeroes and random data each time.

30. The device of claim 24, wherein the secure garbage collection is performed upon all unreferenced objects that were referenced by the software program.

31. The device of claim 24, wherein the triggering event comprises user selection of a menu option.

32. The device of claim 24, wherein the triggering event comprises user activation or actuation of one or more input components on the mobile device.

33. The device of claim 24, wherein the triggering event comprises a determined security threat.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the security threat is determined when a predetermined number of unsuccessful authorization attempts is made.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein the security threat is determined when an application attempts to access a function or data for which the application is not authorized.