Secure User Authentication for Bluetooth Enabled Computer Storage Devices

• US 20130174252A1
• Filed: 12/27/2012
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kingston Digital, Inc. (Kingston Technology Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Imation Corporation (Glassbridge Enterprises, Inc.)
• Inventors: Weber, Mark P., Vlasich, Kevin Peter, Farmer, David Blake, Varghese, Preetham, Myers, Dave, Duncan, David Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,303,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• 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: H04L 2463/082 applying multi-factor authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

A storage device may be operably coupleable with a host computing device, and the storage device and/or host computing device may be Bluetooth enabled. The storage device may include authentication information. Access to the storage device may be permitted via Bluetooth communication between the Bluetooth enabled device and at least one of the storage device and a host computing device, wherein the Bluetooth enabled device may be within a maximum Bluetooth range of the storage device. The Bluetooth communication may be performed without Bluetooth pairing.

Claims

1. A system for user authentication for a storage device, the system comprising:

a storage device operably coupleable with a computing device, at least one of the storage device or computing device being Bluetooth enabled, the storage device comprising authentication information for a portable Bluetooth enabled device;

wherein access to the storage device is permitted via Bluetooth communication between the Bluetooth enabled device and at least one of the storage device or computing device if the Bluetooth enabled device is within a maximum Bluetooth range of the storage device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the Bluetooth communication between the Bluetooth enabled device and at least one of the storage device and the computing device is done without Bluetooth pairing of the Bluetooth enabled device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the authentication information comprises a Bluetooth name and address of the Bluetooth enabled device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the Bluetooth communication comprises transmission from the portable Bluetooth enabled device of the Bluetooth name of the Bluetooth enabled device.

5. A method of using the system of claim 4, wherein access to encrypted data on the storage device is based on detection and recognition of unique device identification values established in a Bluetooth device setup and configuration utility.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising using the unique Bluetooth device identification values together as a set to allow for user authentication to access the storage device.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising using the unique Bluetooth device identification values in individual pairings to allow for user authentication to access the storage device.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising using the unique Bluetooth device identification values for at least one of single factor, dual factor, or three factor authentication to allow for user authentication to access the storage device.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising hashing the unique Bluetooth identification values to create a unique authentication protection key for protecting a data encryption key for the encrypted data on the storage device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing automatic authentication services for user authentication to access the storage device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing automatic authentication services is performed from an application running on one or both of the computing device and the storage device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the application identifies a previously registered Bluetooth enabled device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the application identifies the previously registered Bluetooth enable device using a unique Bluetooth device identification value of the previously registered device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising unlocking the unique authentication protection key based on a match to the unique Bluetooth device identification value of the previously registered device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising allowing access to the data encryption key for encrypting or decrypting files on the storage device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the authentication information comprises a unique identifier and an authentication key for the Bluetooth enabled device

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the Bluetooth communication comprises transmission of the authentication key from the portable Bluetooth enabled device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the authentication key is automatically cycled between a plurality of authentication keys, the authentication keys being selected from at least one of predetermined authentication keys and non-predetermined, generated authentication keys.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage device comprises a USB flash drive.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the Bluetooth enabled device comprises a mobile phone or smartphone.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising authentication control application loaded on the Bluetooth enabled device.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the maximum Bluetooth range is a predetermined configured range.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the maximum Bluetooth range is the range limited only by the Bluetooth capabilities of the Bluetooth enabled device and at least one of the storage device or computing device.

24. A system comprising:

a configuration utility for setting up a portable Bluetooth enabled device as an authentication factor for access to at least a portion of the memory on the storage device;

authentication information for a Bluetooth enabled device set up as an authentication factor; and

an access module permitting access to the at least a portion of the memory on the storage device via Bluetooth communication between the Bluetooth enabled device and at least one of the storage device or a host computing device to which the storage device is operably coupled if the Bluetooth enabled device is within no more than a Bluetooth range of the storage device or host computing device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the Bluetooth communication between the Bluetooth enabled device and at least one of the storage device or a host computing device is done without Bluetooth pairing.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the authentication information comprises the Bluetooth name and address of the Bluetooth enabled device.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the Bluetooth communication comprises transmission from the Bluetooth enabled device of the Bluetooth name.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the authentication information comprises a unique identifier for the Bluetooth enabled device and an authentication key.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the Bluetooth communication comprises transmission from the Bluetooth enabled device of the authentication key.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the authentication key is automatically cycled between a plurality of authentication keys, the authentication keys being at least one of predetermined keys or non-predetermined, generated keys.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the storage device comprises an archival storage system operably coupled to the host computer device over a network.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the storage device comprise a cloud storage device.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the Bluetooth enabled device is within the Bluetooth range of the host computing device.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the Bluetooth enabled device is outside of the Bluetooth range of the storage device.

35. A method for user authentication for a storage device, the method comprising permitting access to a storage device operably coupled to a host computing device when a portable Bluetooth enabled device is brought within a Bluetooth range of the storage device, the portable Bluetooth enabled device and at least one of the storage device or host computing device being Bluetooth enabled, and the storage device comprising authentication information for the portable Bluetooth enabled device.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein access is permitted to the storage device based on Bluetooth communication between the Bluetooth enabled device and at least one of the storage device or host computing device without Bluetooth pairing.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising receiving from the portable Bluetooth enabled device, and storing in memory of the storage device, the authentication information for the portable Bluetooth enabled device.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein at least a portion of the authentication information is generated by the portable Bluetooth enabled device.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising providing a plurality of the portable Bluetooth enabled devices to a plurality of users for authenticating each of the users for access to the storage device.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein permitting access to the storage device comprises authenticating one of the users based on the user bringing any one of the multiple Bluetooth enabled devices within no more than the Bluetooth range of the storage device.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising generating an authentication file for authorization of the multiple users for access to the storage device.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the authentication file comprises a plurality of entries, each of the entries having a user field for identifying at least one of the multiple users.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein each of the plurality of entries in the authentication file comprises a type field for identifying a password or Bluetooth name of the entry for the identified user.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein each of the plurality of entries in the authentication file further comprises a hash field comprising a hash of the type field.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein each of the plurality of entries in the authentication file further comprises a salt field comprising data for strengthening the hash entry.