IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,210,664
Granted Patent B2
US 12,210,664 · App. 17/454,417 · Granted Jan 28, 2025

Intrusion detection for an information handling system

Inventors: Derric Christopher Hobbs (Round Rock, TX); Eric Neil Sendelbach (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F21/86G06F21/55G06F2221/034
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,210,664
App. No.
17/454,417
Granted
Jan 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An intrusion detection circuit may use an element that produces non-repeatable values of a characteristic of the non-repeating element in order to prevent system manipulation. An information handling system may determine a first value for a first characteristic of the non-repeating element coupled to a secure boundary of the information handling system to activate the non-repeating element when the secure boundary is breached; retrieve a second value for the first characteristic of the non-repeating element, where the second value is a previous value compared to the first value; and determine whether an intrusion event occurred by comparing the first value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element with the second value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element.

Claims (27)

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by an information handling system, a first value for a first characteristic of a non-repeating element coupled to a secure boundary of the information handling system such that the non-repeating element is cycled to a new non-repeating value when the secure boundary is breached;

determining, by the information handling system, a second value for the first characteristic of the non-repeating element, wherein the second value corresponds to a previous time than the first value; and

determining, by the information handling system, an intrusion event occurred by comparing the first value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element with the second value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element comprises determining the first value of the first characteristics of an electro-mechanical switch.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the first value of the first characteristic of the electro-mechanical switch comprises determining a position of a rotating wiper relative to a variable resistance element, wherein the position of the rotating wiper is rotated by an amount proportional to a force applied to a contact point of the secure boundary.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element comprises determining the first value of the first characteristics of a non-binary element.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element comprises reading a current value from a general purpose input/output port of the non-repeating element.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the intrusion event occurred by comparing the first value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element with the second value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element indicating that the limit was activated comprises determining the intrusion event occurred when there is no power supplied to the non-repeating element.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, based on determining the intrusion event occurred, generating a security log entry indicating the intrusion event.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the first value and determining the second value are performed by a basic input/output system (BIOS).

9. An information handling system comprising:

a chassis comprising at least one removable component forming a secure boundary;

a non-repeating element configured to cycle to a new non-repeating value of a first characteristic when the secure boundary is breached;

a memory within the chassis; and

a processor within the chassis and coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to perform the steps comprising:

determining, by the information handling system, a first value for the first characteristic of the non-repeating element;

retrieving, by the information handling system, a second value for the first characteristic of the non-repeating element, wherein the second value corresponds to a previous time than the first value; and

determining, by the information handling system, an intrusion event occurred by comparing the first value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element with the second value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element.

10. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein determining the first value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element comprises determining the first value of the first characteristics of an electro-mechanical switch.

11. The information handling system of claim 10 , wherein determining the first value of the first characteristic of the electro-mechanical switch comprises determining a position of a rotating wiper relative to a variable resistive element, wherein the position of the rotating wiper is rotated by an amount proportional to a force applied to a contact point of the secure boundary.

12. The information handling system of claim 11 , wherein the electro-mechanical switch further comprises a housing, a contact terminal for a general purpose input/output, a spring, a plunger, and a cover, wherein the plunger comprises the contact point for the secure boundary and the cover comprises the secure boundary.

13. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein determining the first value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element comprises determining the first value of the first characteristics of a non-binary element.

14. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein determining the first value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element comprises reading a current value from the general purpose input/output port of the non-repeating element.

15. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein determining the intrusion event occurred by comparing the first value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element with the second value of the first characteristic of the non-repeating element indicating that the limit was activated comprises determining the intrusion event occurred when there is no power supplied to the non-repeating element.

16. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to based on determining the intrusion event occurred, restrict functionality of the information handling system.

17. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein the step of determining the first value and determining the second value are performed by the processor during execution of a basic input/output system (BIOS).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2021
From: SENDELBACH, ERIC NEIL; HOBBS, DERRIC CHRISTOPHER
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 058076/0512 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230140967A1 · May 11, 2023
References Cited (3)
US 9906360B2 · Johnson · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 11797994B2 · Muchsel · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20150220457A1 · Katoh · 2015 [cited by examiner]