The present invention relates generally to storage devices, and more particularly to a firewall for such devices.
Storage devices are utilized in a variety of environments. Typically they are used to store data for use on a host system.
Current technology requires some portion of the security, management and monitoring software to be executed on the host system. This software can be easily compromised when operating in an uncontrolled, non-protected environment.
The USB storage device 10 depicted in
The USB storage device 100 in
A corporation, enterprise or organization which has computers and/or host systems are made secure by granting only limited access to the users. This environment would not require the use of the storage device 100 detailed in
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method that addresses the above-identified issues. The present invention addresses such a need.
A system comprises a storage device and a non-secure host. The system includes a hardware firewall adaptor coupled therebetween. The hardware firewall adaptor provides a secure environment for applications to operate when the storage device is utilized outside a controlled environment.
A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides a protected area for software to execute on a separate hardware firewall adaptor when a storage device is operating in an unprotected environment when connected to an uncontrolled or unmonitored host system. This software consists of a plurality of security, access management and monitoring (SAMM) applications when a storage device is connected to a computer in an uncontrolled, unprotected environment.
The present invention relates generally to storage devices, and more particularly to a firewall for such devices. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiments and the generic principles and features described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. For example although a method and system in accordance with the present invention will be discussed in the context of universal serial bus storage devices, such a system and method can be utilized with a variety of storage devices. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art readily recognizes that it should not be limited only to USB devices. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein.
By utilizing a firewall adaptor, high performance hardware is separated from the USB Flash storage device 100 depicted in
These applications provide security by enforcing access policies that would restrict file operations such as copy, paste, move or rename for files based on their location or type. Restrictions can be placed on these files and/or directories that prevent them from being opened, viewed or modified. Additionally anti-virus/malware software can scan and prevent infected files from being copied to the USB storage device. This software can also prevent files that are encrypted or locked which cannot be scanned from being copied to the drive. Security software can also establish an authenticated, secure communication link between the USB storage device and hardware firewall adaptor safeguarding from “man-in-the-middle” (MITM) type attacks.
Management software can provide remote management functionality to a connected USB storage device. These management features would include storage device lock, unlock, format/erase and password reset.
Monitoring software can monitor all file activities and log these activities into a log file that can be saved locally to either the storage device or the firewall adaptor, or it can be transmitted to a secure server through the internet if access is available. These file activities would include: Delete, Copy, Rename, Paste, Move, Save, Save As and Open.
In utilizing this system, a limited number of firewall adaptors need to be purchased and deployed by an organization. These are provided only when needed to address the specific need for a secure USB interface to non-secure host systems outside the control of the organization. Therefore, Flash storage devices 10 similar in cost to those in
In
In
Current technology requires some portion of the security, management and monitoring software to be executed on the host system. This software can be easily compromised when operating in an uncontrolled non-protected environment.
USB-HF hardware architecture gives software designers a secure protected area with sufficient processing power to execute applications.
Having the processor on the USB-HF adaptor rather than on the USB storage device allows the cost of the storage device to be kept at a minimum. This processing power could be placed on a conventional USB drive, where SAMM software would execute in a controlled protected environment. However high performance processing hardware with sufficient performance required to operate these applications would add significant cost to every USB storage device. Furthermore, this hardware is not required when operating from a computer within a controlled, trusted environment since software can be executed securely on a host system.
Although the present invention has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the embodiments, and those variations would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, although the present invention has been described in the context of USB storage devices it could be utilized with a variety of other environments. Therefore, the use of the present invention could be utilized with SD card, Microcard, Minicard, Compact Flash and the like, and that use would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, although present invention has been described in the context of providing a plurality of SAMM applications in a secure area a variety of applications can be provided therein and their use would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, many modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20110030030 A1 | Feb 2011 | US |