IP Library Granted Patent US 11,204,986
Granted Patent B1
US 11,204,986 · App. 16/456,759 · Granted Dec 21, 2021

Control of a prompt for a credential to unlock a storage device

Inventors: Srinivasan N. Rao (Suwanee, GA); Karthika Ramasubramanian (Tamil Nadu, IN)
Assignee: American Megatrends International, LLC
G06F21/31G06F12/1408G06F21/575G06F21/6218G06F21/78
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,204,986
App. No.
16/456,759
Granted
Dec 21, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

Control of a prompt for a credential to unlock a computer-readable storage device is provided. Some embodiments permit identifying a component that encrypted the computer-readable storage device and, depending on the identified component, prompting for such a credential. One embodiment can determine that a firmware encrypted the computer-readable storage device and can prompt for a password, for example, to unlock the computer-readable storage device during a boot-up process performed by the firmware. Other embodiments can determine that an operating system encrypted the computer-readable storage device, and can avoid the presentation of a prompt for a password, for example, during a boot-up process performed by the firmware. The computer-readable storage device can be a self-encrypting drive (SED) or another type of disk drive.

Claims (69)

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

initiating, by a computing device comprising at least one processor, execution of a firmware configured to perform a boot-up process;

determining, by the firmware, that a computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state;

attempting, by the firmware, to read a region in the computer-readable storage device spanning a band of logical block address (LBA) blocks ranging from a first LBA block to a second LBA block;

causing, by the firmware, a display device to prompt for a credential to decrypt the computer-readable storage device in response to the attempting being unsuccessful;

attempting, by the firmware, to decrypt the computer-readable storage device using the credential;

determining, by the firmware, that the computer-readable storage device is unencrypted; and

completing the boot-up process by the firmware.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state comprises determining that a self-encrypting drive (SED) is in the encrypted state, wherein the SED complies with the Opal Storage Specification published by the Trusted Computing Group Storage Workgroup.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state comprises executing at least one command to probe the encryption status of the computer-readable storage device, resulting in an indication of the encrypted state.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the causing comprises causing the display device to present a user interface (UI) comprising a first UI element representing a directive to supply the credential and a second UI element to receive input information indicative of the credential, the credential being a password or a numerical code.

5. A computing device, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device having computer-executable components stored thereon that, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the computing device at least to:

initiate execution of a firmware configured to perform a boot-up process;

determine, by the firmware, that a computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state;

attempt, by the firmware, to read a region of the computer-readable storage device spanning a band of logical block address (LBA) blocks ranging from a first LBA block to a second LBA block;

determine, by the firmware, that the attempt is unsuccessful;

cause, by the firmware, a display device to prompt for a credential to decrypt the computer-readable storage device in response to the attempt being unsuccessful;

attempt, by the firmware, to decrypt the computer-readable storage device using the credential;

determine, by the firmware, that the computer-readable storage device is unencrypted; and

complete the boot-up process by the firmware.

6. The computing device of claim 5 , wherein determining that the computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state comprises determining that a self-encrypting drive (SED) is in the encrypted state, wherein the SED complies with the Opal Storage Specification published by the Trusted Computing Group Storage Workgroup.

7. The computing device of claim 5 , wherein determining that the computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state comprises executing at least one command to probe the encryption status of the computer-readable storage device, resulting in an indication of the encrypted state.

8. At least one computer-readable non-transitory storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution, cause a computing device to perform or facilitate operations comprising:

initiating execution of a firmware configured to perform a boot-up process;

determining, by the firmware, that a computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state;

attempting, by the firmware, to read a region of a computer-readable storage device spanning a band of logical block address (LBA) blocks ranging from a first LBA block to a second LBA block;

causing, by the firmware, a display device to prompt for a credential to decrypt the computer-readable storage device in response to the attempting being unsuccessful;

attempting, by the firmware, to decrypt the computer-readable storage device using the credential;

determining, by the firmware, that the computer-readable storage device is unencrypted; and

completing the boot-up process by the firmware.

9. The at least one computer-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the determining that the computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state comprises determining that a self-encrypting drive (SED) is in the encrypted state, wherein the SED complies with the Opal Storage Specification published by the Trusted Computing Group Storage Workgroup.

10. The at least one computer-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the determining that the computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state comprises executing at least one command to probe the encryption status of the computer-readable storage device, resulting in an indication of the encrypted state.

11. The at least one computer-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the causing comprises causing the display device to present a user interface (UI) comprising a first UI element representing a directive to supply the credential and a second UI element to receive input information indicative of the credential, the credential being a password or a numerical code.

12. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

initiating, by a computing device comprising at least one processor, execution of a firmware configured to perform a boot-up process;

determining, by the firmware, that a computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state;

attempting, by the firmware, to read a defined logical block address (LBA) block of the computer-readable storage device;

causing, by the firmware, a display device to prompt for a credential to decrypt the computer-readable storage device in response to the attempting being unsuccessful;

attempting, by the firmware, to decrypt the computer-readable storage device using the credential;

determining, by the firmware, that the computer-readable storage device is unencrypted; and

completing the boot-up process by the firmware.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the determining that the computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state comprises determining that a self-encrypting drive (SED) is in the encrypted state, wherein the SED complies with the Opal Storage Specification published by the Trusted Computing Group Storage Workgroup.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the determining that the computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state comprises executing at least one command to probe the encryption status of the computer-readable storage device, resulting in an indication of the encrypted state.

15. A computing device, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device having computer-executable components stored thereon that, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the computing device at least to:

initiate execution of a firmware configured to perform a boot-up process;

determine, by the firmware, that a computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state;

attempt, by the firmware, to read a defined logical block address (LBA) block of the computer-readable storage device;

determine, by the firmware, that the attempt is unsuccessful;

cause, by the firmware, a display device to prompt for a credential to decrypt the computer-readable storage device in response to the attempt being unsuccessful;

attempt, by the firmware, to decrypt the computer-readable storage device using the credential;

determine, by the firmware, that the computer-readable storage device is unencrypted; and

complete the boot-up process by the firmware.

16. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein determining that the computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state comprises determining that a self-encrypting drive (SED) is in the encrypted state, wherein the SED complies with the Opal Storage Specification published by the Trusted Computing Group Storage Workgroup.

17. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein determining that the computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state comprises executing at least one command to probe the encryption status of the computer-readable storage device, resulting in an indication of the encrypted state.

18. At least one computer-readable non-transitory storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution, cause a computing device to perform or facilitate operations comprising:

initiating execution of a firmware configured to perform a boot-up process;

determining, by the firmware, that a computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state;

attempting, by the firmware, to read a defined logical block address (LBA) block of the computer-readable storage device;

causing, by the firmware, a display device to prompt for a credential to decrypt the computer-readable storage device in response to the attempting being unsuccessful;

attempting, by the firmware, to decrypt the computer-readable storage device using the credential;

determining, by the firmware, that the computer-readable storage device is unencrypted; and

completing the boot-up process by the firmware.

19. The at least one computer-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the determining that the computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state comprises determining that a self-encrypting drive (SED) is in the encrypted state, wherein the SED complies with the Opal Storage Specification published by the Trusted Computing Group Storage Workgroup.

20. The at least one computer-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the determining that the computer-readable storage device is in an encrypted state comprises executing at least one command to probe the encryption status of the computer-readable storage device, resulting in an indication of the encrypted state.

21. The at least one computer-readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the causing comprises causing the display device to present a user interface (UI) comprising a first UI element representing a directive to supply the credential and a second UI element to receive input information indicative of the credential, the credential being a password or a numerical code.

Assignments (5)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 23, 2024
From: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS INTERNATIONAL, LLC
To: BAIN CAPITAL CREDIT, LP, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069229/0834 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2024
From: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST
To: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS INTERNATIONAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 069205/0948 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2024
From: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS INTERNATIONAL, LLC
To: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 067274/0834 →
ENTITY CONVERSION Recorded Feb 28, 2020
From: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS, INC.
To: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS INTERNATIONAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 052050/0024 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2019
From: RAO, SRINIVASAN N.; RAMASUBRAMANIAN, KARTHIKA
To: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 049624/0959 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62772535 · Nov 28, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,638,987