Method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized use of computing devices

1. A method for protecting a mobile device from unauthorized use, comprising:

determining that a removable provisioning data memory unit is new to the mobile device comprising:

accessing the removable provisioning data memory unit installed in the mobile device to obtain an identifier;

computing a first value from a combination of a mobile device identification number (MDIN) stored in a secure memory and the obtained identifier; and

comparing the computed first value to one or more values previously stored in the secure memory of the mobile device;

prompting a user to enter a MDIN in response to determining that the removable provisioning data memory unit is new to the mobile device;

comparing an entered MDIN to the MDIN stored in the secure memory of the mobile device;

storing the computed first value in the secure memory of the mobile device without replacing any of the one or more values previously stored in the secure memory of the mobile device if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

accessing the removable provisioning data memory unit only if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

incrementing a counter if the entered MDIN does not match the MDIN stored in secure memory; and

locking at least a portion of the mobile device functionality if the counter exceeds a predetermined limit.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining if a MDIN is stored in the secure memory;

prompting the user to enter a MDIN if there is no MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining if the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value;

prompting the user to enter a MDIN if the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a request to change the MDIN;

prompting the user to enter the MDIN;

comparing the entered MDIN to the MDIN stored in the secure memory;

prompting the user to enter a new MDIN if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

6. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

a display coupled to the processor;

a secure memory coupled to the processor; and

a removable data memory unit coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising:

determining that the removable memory unit is new to the mobile device comprising:

accessing the removable provisioning data memory unit installed in the mobile device to obtain an identifier,

computing a first value from a combination of a mobile device identification number (MDIN) stored in the secure memory and the obtained identifier; and

comparing the computed first value to one or more values previously stored in the secure memory of the mobile device;

generating a prompt on the display prompting a user to enter a MDIN in response to determining that the removable provisioning data memory unit is new to the mobile device;

comparing an entered MDIN to the MDIN stored in the secure memory of the mobile device;

storing the computed first value in the secure memory of the mobile device without replacing any of the one or more values previously stored in the secure memory of the mobile device if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

accessing the removable provisioning data memory unit only if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory.

7. The mobile device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform further steps comprising:

incrementing a counter if the entered MDIN does not match the MDIN stored in secure memory; and

locking at least a portion of the mobile device functionality if the counter exceeds a predetermined limit.

8. The mobile device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform further steps comprising:

determining if a MDIN is stored in the secure memory;

prompting the user to enter a MDIN if there is no MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

9. The mobile device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform further steps comprising:

determining if the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value;

prompting the user to enter a MDIN if the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

10. The mobile device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform further steps comprising:

receiving a request to change the MDIN;

generating a prompt on the display prompting the user to enter the MDIN;

comparing an entered MDIN to the MDIN stored in the secure memory;

prompting the user to enter a new MDIN if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

11. The mobile device of claim 6 , further comprising a transceiver coupled to the processor, the transceiver configured to connect to a cellular communication network, wherein the processor is further configured to communicate with the cellular communication network using provisioning data stored in the removable memory unit.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the removable memory unit is a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

13. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the removable memory unit is a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC).

14. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the removable memory unit is a Removable User Identity Module (RUIM).

15. A mobile device, comprising:

means for determining that a removable memory unit is new to the mobile device comprising:

means for accessing the removable provisioning data memory unit installed in the mobile device to obtain an identifier;

means for computing a first value from a combination of a mobile device identification number (MDIN) stored in a secure memory and the obtained identifier; and

means for comparing the computed first value to one or more values previously stored in the secure memory of the mobile device;

means for prompting a user to enter a MDIN in response to determining that the removable memory unit is new to the mobile device;

means for comparing an entered MDIN to the MDIN stored in the secure memory of the mobile device;

means for storing the computed first value in the secure memory of the mobile device without replacing any of the one or more values previously stored in the secure memory of the mobile device if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

means for accessing the removable memory unit only if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory.

16. The mobile device of claim 15 , further comprising:

means for incrementing a counter if the entered MDIN does not match the MDIN stored in secure memory; and

means for locking at least a portion of the mobile device functionality if the counter exceeds a predetermined limit.

17. The mobile device of claim 15 , further comprising:

means for determining if a MDIN is stored in the secure memory;

means for prompting the user to enter a MDIN if there is no MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

means for storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

18. The mobile device of claim 15 , further comprising:

means for determining if the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value;

means for prompting the user to enter a MDIN if the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value; and

means for storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

19. The mobile device of claim 15 , further comprising:

means for receiving a request to change the MDIN;

means for prompting the user to enter the MDIN;

means for comparing the entered MDIN to the MDIN stored in the secure memory;

means for prompting the user to enter a new MDIN if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

means for storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

20. The mobile device of claim 15 , further comprising means for communicating with a cellular communication network using provisioning data stored in the removable memory unit.

21. The mobile device of claim 20 , wherein the removable memory unit is a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

22. The mobile device of claim 20 , wherein the removable memory unit is a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC).

23. The mobile device of claim 20 , wherein the removable memory unit is a Removable User Identity Module (RUIM).

24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor of a mobile device to perform operations comprising:

determining that a removable memory unit is new to the mobile device, wherein determining that the removable memory unit is new to the mobile device comprises:

accessing the removable provisioning data memory unit installed in the mobile device to obtain an identifier;

computing a first value from a combination of a mobile device identification number (MDIN) stored in a secure memory and the obtained identifier; and

comparing the computed first value to one or more values previously stored in the secure memory of the mobile device;

prompting a user to enter a MDIN in response to determining that the removable memory unit is new to the mobile device;

comparing an entered MDIN to a MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

accessing the removable memory unit only if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium has stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform further operations comprising:

incrementing a counter if the entered MDIN does not match the MDIN stored in secure memory; and

locking at least a portion of the mobile device functionality if the counter exceeds a predetermined limit.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium has stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform further operations comprising:

determining if a MDIN is stored in the secure memory;

prompting the user to enter a MDIN if there is no MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium has stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform further operations comprising:

determining if the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value;

prompting the user to enter a MDIN if the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium has stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform further operations comprising:

receiving a request to change the MDIN;

prompting the user to enter the MDIN;

comparing an entered MDIN to the MDIN stored in the secure memory;

prompting the user to enter a new MDIN if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium has stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform further operations comprising communicating with a cellular communication network using provisioning data stored in the removable memory unit.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 29 , wherein the removable memory unit is a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

31. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 29 , wherein the removable memory unit is a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC).

32. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 29 , wherein the removable memory unit is a Removable User Identity Module (RUIM).