Patent ID: 7743241
Filing Date: 2010-06-22
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for securing contents of one or more data storage devices within a computer capable of storing a security password for unlocking and locking the data storage devices and of supporting one or more security features, the method comprising: reading from each of the data storage devices within the computer a data storage device identifier, the data storage device identifier indicating whether the data storage device supports the security features and whether the data storage device is locked or unlocked; determining from the data storage device identifier whether the data storage device supports the security features and is locked; in response to determining that the data storage device supports the security features and is locked, determining whether the data storage device is returning from a powered off state, a hardware reset, or a sleep state; in response to the data storage device being locked and returning from a powered off state or a hardware reset, determining whether a backup password may be used to unlock the data storage device; in response to determining that a backup password may be used, determining whether a request to enter a backup password has been received; in response to receiving a request to enter a backup password, receiving from a user the backup password for unlocking the data storage device and unlocking the data storage device, allowing access to data stored on the data storage device; in response to determining that the data storage device is locked and returning from a powered off state or a hardware reset and that the backup password may not be used or a request to enter the backup password has not been received, receiving from the user a password for unlocking the data storage device; in response to receiving the password, determining whether the received password is the security password; in response to the received password being the security password, unlocking the data storage device and thereby allowing access to data stored on the data storage device; in response to determining that the data storage device is locked and returning from a sleep state, determining whether the data storage device was unlocked prior to the sleep state; and in response to determining that the data storage device was unlocked prior to the sleep state, retrieving the security password from the memory and utilizing the security password to unlock the data storage device.