Modular security device

• US 6,003,135 A
• Filed: 06/04/1997
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SPEX Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Spyrus, Inc.
• Inventors: Sutherland, Mark J., Housley, Russell D., Bialick, William P., Skeba, Kirk W., Rowland, Thomas K., Dolphin-Peterson, Janet L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Palys, Joseph E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai, Rijue
• Application Number:
  US08/869,120
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 395/186, 395/800, 395/188.01, 380/26, 380/4, 380/23, 380/25, 380/30, 380/49, 380/50, 235/492, 713/200, 713/201, 713/202
• US Class Current: 726/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs

Abstract

The invention enables a modular, typically portable, device to communicate with a host computing device to enable one or more security operations to be performed by the modular device on data stored within the host computing device, data provided from the host computing device to the modular device (which can then be, for example, stored in the modular device or transmitted to yet another device), or data retrieved by the host computing device from the modular device (e.g., data that has been stored in the modular device, transmitted to the modular device from another device or input to the modular device by a person). In particular, the modular device can include a security module that is adapted to enable performance of one or more security operations on data, and a target module that is adapted to enable a defined interaction with a host computing device. The target module can be embodied by any of a variety of modules having different types of functionality (e.g., data storage, data communication, data input and output, user identification). The modular device can also be implemented so that the security operations are performed in-line, i.e., the security operations are performed between the interface of the host computing device to the modular device and the external communications interface of the target module. Moreover, the modular device can be implemented so that the security functionality of the modular device is transparent to the host computing device.

Claims

1. A modular device, comprising:

a security module, comprising;

means for enabling one or more security operations to be performed on data;

means for physically engaging with a target module; and

means for communicating with a target module;

a target module, comprising;

means for enabling a defined interaction with a host computing device;

means for physically engaging with a security module; and

means for communicating with a security module;

means for communicating with a host computing device; and

means for operably connecting the security module and/or the target module to the host computing device in response to an instruction from the host computing device.

2. A modular device as in claim 1, wherein the target module comprises a memory module adapted to enable nonvolatile storage of data.

3. A modular device as in claim 2, wherein the memory module includes a solid-state disk storage device.

4. A modular device as in claim 1, wherein the target module comprises a communications module adapted to enable communication between the host computing device and a remote device.

5. A modular device as in claim 4, wherein the communications module comprises a modem module.

6. A modular device as in claim 4, wherein the communications module comprises a LAN transceiver module.

7. A modular device as in claim 4, wherein the communications module comprises a wireless communications module.

8. A modular device as in claim 4, wherein the communications module comprises a wired communications module.

9. A modular device as in claim 1, wherein the target module comprises a biometric module.

10. A modular device as in claim 9, wherein the biometric module comprises a fingerprint scanning module.

11. A modular device as in claim 9, wherein the biometric module comprises a retinal scanning module.

12. A modular device as in claim 1, wherein the target module comprises a smart card reader module adapted to communicate with a smart card.

13. A modular device as in claim 1, wherein the target module comprises a module including means for receiving user input data that identifies a user of the modular device.

14. A modular device as in claim 1, wherein the security module further comprises the means for communicating with a host computing device.

15. A modular device as in claim 1, further comprising means for providing the type of a target module to a host computing device in response to a request from the host computing device for information regarding the type of the modular device.

16. A modular device, comprising:

a security module, comprising;

means for enabling one or more security operations to be performed on data;

means for communicating with a target module; and

means for communicating with a host computing device;

a target module, comprising;

means for enabling a defined interaction with a host computing device; and

means for communicating with a security module; and

means for operably connecting the security module and/or the target module to the host computing device in response to an instruction from the host computing device;

wherein communication between the target module and the host computing device must first pass through the security module.

17. A modular device as in claim 16, wherein the security module further comprises means for providing the type of a target module to a host computing device in response to a request from the host computing device for information regarding the type of the modular device.

18. A modular device as in claim 16, wherein the target module comprises a memory module adapted to enable non-volatile storage of data.

19. A modular device as in claim 16, wherein the target module comprises a communications module adapted to enable communication between the host computing device and a remote device.

20. A modular device as in claim 16, wherein the target module comprises a biometric module.

21. A modular device as in claim 16, wherein the target module comprises a smart card reader module adapted to communicate with a smart card.

22. A modular device, comprising:

a security module, comprising;

means for enabling one or more security operations to be performed on data; and

means for communicating with a target module;

a target module, comprising;

means for enabling a defined interaction with a host computing device; and

means for communicating with a security module;

means for communicating with a host computing device;

means for operably connecting the security module and/or the target module to the host computing device in response to an instruction from the host computing device; and

means for providing the type of a target module to a host computing device in response to a request from the host computing device for information regarding the type of the modular device.

23. A modular device as in claim 22, wherein the target module comprises a memory module adapted to enable nonvolatile storage of data.

24. A modular device as in claim 22, wherein the target module comprises a communications module adapted to enable communication between the host computing device and a remote device.

25. A modular device as in claim 22, wherein the target module comprises a biometric module.

26. A modular device as in claim 22, wherein the target module comprises a smart card reader module adapted to communicate with a smart card.

27. A modular device, comprising:

a security module, comprising;

means for enabling one or more security operations to be performed on data; and

means for communicating with a target module;

a target module, comprising;

means for enabling a defined interaction with a host computing device; and

means for communicating with a security module;

means for communicating with a host computing device; and

means for operably connecting the security module and/or the target module to the host computing device in response to an instruction from the host computing device.

28. A modular device as in claim 27, wherein the target module comprises a memory module adapted to enable nonvolatile storage of data.

29. A modular device as in claim 27, wherein the target module comprises a communications module adapted to enable communication between the host computing device and a remote device.

30. A modular device as in claim 27, wherein the target module comprises a biometric module.

31. A modular device as in claim 27, wherein the target module comprises a smart card reader module adapted to communicate with a smart card.

32. A security module, comprising:

means for communicating with a host computing device;

means for performing one or more security operations on data;

means for communicating with a target module that is adapted to enable a defined interaction with the host computing device; and

means for operably connecting the security module and/or the target module to the host computing device in response to an instruction from the host computing device.

33. A security module as in claim 32, further comprising means for physically engaging the security module with the target module.

34. A security module as in claim 32, further comprising means for controlling the means for communicating with the target module to obtain information from the target module that can be used to identify the type of the target module.

35. A security module as in claim 34, further comprising means for providing the information to the host computing device in response to a request from the host computing device for information regarding the type of the security module.

36. A security module as in claim 32, further comprising means for mediating communication of data between the host computing device and the target module so that the communicated data must first pass through the means for performing one or more security operations on data.

37. A security module as in claim 32, further comprising means for operably connecting the security module and/or the target module to the host computing device in response to an instruction from the host computing device.

38. A data security system, comprising:

a host computing device including one or more device interfaces adapted to enable communication with another device;

a modular device, comprising a security module, comprising;

means for communicating with the host computing device;

means for performing one or more security operations on data; and

means for communicating with a target module that is adapted to enable a defined interaction with the host computing device; and

means for operably connecting the security module and/or the target module to the host computing device in response to an instruction from the host computing device.

39. A data security system as in claim 38, wherein the modular device further comprises a target module, the target module comprising:

means for communicating with the security module; and

means for enabling a defined interaction with the host computing device.

40. A data security system as in claim 39, wherein the security module further comprises:

means for controlling the means for communicating with the target module to obtain information from the target module that can be used to identify the type of the target module; and

means for providing the information to the host computing device in response to a request from the host computing device for information regarding the type of the modular device.

41. A data security system as in claim 39, wherein the target module comprises a memory module adapted to enable non-volatile storage of data.

42. A data security system as in claim 41, wherein the memory module includes a solid-state disk storage device.

43. A data security system as in claim 39, wherein the target module comprises a communications module adapted to enable communication between the host computing device and a remote device.

44. A data security system as in claim 43, wherein the communications module comprises a modem module.

45. A data security system as in claim 43, wherein the communications module comprises a LAN transceiver module.

46. A data security system as in claim 43, wherein the communications module comprises a wireless communications module.

47. A data security system as in claim 43, wherein the communications module comprises a wired communications module.

48. A data security system as in claim 39, wherein the target module comprises a biometric module.

49. A data security system as in claim 39, wherein the target module comprises a smart card reader module adapted to communicate with a smart card.

50. A data security system as in claim 39, wherein the target module comprises a module including means for receiving user input data that identifies a user of the modular device.

51. A data security system as in claim 48, wherein the biometric module comprises a fingerprint scanning module.

52. A data security system as in claim 48, wherein the biometric module comprises a retinal scanning module.

53. A data security system as in claim 38, wherein the modular device further comprises means for mediating communication of data between the host computing device and the target module so that the communicated data must first pass through the means for performing one or more security operations on data.

54. A data security system as in claim 38, wherein the modular device further comprises means for operably connecting the security module and/or the target module to the host computing device in response to an instruction from the host computing device.

55. For use in a modular device adapted for communication with a host computing device, the modular device comprising a security module that is adapted to enable one or more security operations to be performed on data and a target module that is adapted to enable a defined interaction with the host computing device, a method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from the host computing device for information regarding the type of the modular device;

providing the type of the target module to the host computing device in response to the request; and

operably connecting the security module and/or the target module to the host computing device in response to an instruction from the host computing device.

56. A method as in claim 55, wherein the security module is adapted to enable communication with the host computing device and the target module, and the target module is adapted to enable communication with the security module and prevent direct communication with the host computing device, the method further comprising the step of controlling the security module to communicate with the target module so as to obtain information from the target module that can be used to identify the type of the target module.

57. For use in a modular device adapted for communication with a host computing device, the modular device comprising a security module that is adapted to enable one or more security operations to be performed on data and a target module that is adapted to enable a defined interaction with the host computing device, a method comprising the steps of:

communicating with the host computing device to exchange data between the host computing device and the modular device;

performing one or more security operations and the defined interaction on the exchanged data;

mediating communication of the exchanged data between the host computing device and the modular device so that the exchanged data must first pass through the security module; and

operably connecting the security module and/or the target module to the host computing device in response to an instruction from the host computing device.

58. For use in a modular device adapted for communication with a host computing device, the modular device comprising a security module that is adapted to enable one or more security operations to be performed on data and a target module that is adapted to enable a defined interaction with the host computing device, a method comprising the steps of:

receiving an instruction from a host computing device regarding operation of the modular device; and

operably connecting the security module and/or the target module to the host computing device in response to the instruction from the host computing device.