Method and apparatus for limiting access to sensitive data

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one hardware component;

a trusted operating system to securely execute boot instructions for said at least one hardware component; and

a virtual operating system in communication with said trusted operating system and having at least one security policy limiting the use of said at least one hardware component by at least one user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said at least one hardware component further comprises at least one of an input module, an output module, a storage module, a networking module, an authentication device, a smart card reader, and a biometric authentication component.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said at least one hardware component is disabled from use in said virtual operating system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said at least one hardware component is only partly accessible by the user in said virtual operating system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one hardware component is an output module having an information flow rate that is limited in said virtual operating system to prevent the output of all sensitive information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said trusted operating system halts execution when untrusted software is detected.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said trusted operating system allows user access for a predetermined amount of time.

8. A method of operation of at least one hardware component comprising:

securely executing, by a trusted operating system, boot instructions for said at least one hardware component; and

enforcing at least one security policy limiting the use of said at least one hardware component via a virtual operating system in communication with said trusted operating system.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said securely executing boot instructions further comprises bootstrapping said trusted operating system.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one hardware component;

an operating system to execute boot instructions for said at least one hardware component;

at least one of an input and an output device having an information rate; and

a virtual operating system in communication with said operating system and having at least one security policy limiting the information rate of said at least one of an input and an output device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said operating system is a trusted operating system to securely execute said boot instructions for said at least one hardware component.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said at least one output device at least one of a monitor, a printer, an audio device, and a networking module.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said at least one security policy is changeable via a remote server.

14. A method of operation of at least one hardware component comprising:

executing, by an operating system, boot instructions for said at least one hardware component;

enabling at least one output device to output information at an information rate; and

enforcing at least one security policy to limit the information rate of said at least one output device via a virtual operating system in communication with said operating system.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said executing of said boot instructions further comprises securely executing said boot instructions.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said enabling at least one output device to output information further comprises displaying said information.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said enabling at least one output device to output information further comprises printing said information.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein said enabling at least one output device to output information further comprises outputting said information to an audio device.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising changing said at least one security policy via a remote server.