Abstract:
The advanced data protection system is implemented by distributing encrypted data across multiple isolated computing systems and using multi-factor authentication to access remote, protected decryption material. Architectural components include: Client application software reading/writing from/to a client data store executing on a client host computer, client application plug-ins communicating with external authentication devices, server application software reading/write data from/to a server data store executing on a host computer which is physically or virtually isolated from the client host computer, authentication devices, components, or systems integrated with or connected to the client computer and exposing programmatic interfaces to client application software, and secure networking components executing on both hosts that provide secure data exchange. The system employs certain associated software that incrementally encrypts client data on both the client and server, storing portions of the results on each computer, and requiring multi-factor authentication for distributed decryption material recovery.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of the co-pending, co-owned U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/047,048, filed Sep. 7, 2014, titled, “A system and associated software for providing advanced data protections in a defense-in-depth system by integrating multi-factor authentication with cryptographic offloading,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a system and associated software for providing advanced data protections in a defense-in-depth system by integrating multi-factor authentication with cryptographic offloading. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Historically, computer users have been able to operate their computers without great concern of compromise; if in the past the computer was subjected to a virus, worm, or even malware, it was pretty clear, and the user could take measures, however painful, to eradicate the threat. This permitted businesses and individuals the freedom to focus on securing sensitive data transmission, with limited concern for local storage. 
         [0004]    Recent dynamics have greatly changed. It is no longer fair to assume a host computer is operating free of malicious or unwanted applications, and data indicates this can go on for months without anyone&#39;s knowledge. Existing data protection mechanisms were not designed to operate in this situation, thus stored data is at great risk to compromise. 
         [0005]    For example, full disk encryption does not protect against remote network attacks; credentials are provided during system boot or through other means, unlocking the system such that the operating system presents decrypted data to the user—and also to an attacker. File encryption provides a common measure of protection, though on compromised systems user input is subjected to undetected key logging malware, which gives up valid and useful credentials to unauthorized users, and thus decryption keys. Token-based authentication provides a measure of insulation from local attacks, though often active tokens are left connected to host computers for extended periods of time, diminishing their value. Even still, many token implementations utilize local keyboard input to enable their behavior, which is also susceptible to malware key loggers. 
         [0006]    Offloading cryptographic keys helps, so long as the keys are remotely generated though this is not always the case. Even still, most systems utilize local credential input which defeats the additional protections provided by such an approach. Furthermore, most encryption is performed locally, which provides visibility, if even momentarily, to keying material that can be compromised. Phones used as second factor authenticators provide a reasonable amount of extra protection, though are typically connected to the same subnet as the host computer with sensitive data, and are fairly easily compromised with targeted remote network attacks. 
         [0007]    Most of these solutions have been suitable in the past, but not today. Though proper measures exist to protect against these threats, they are often disruptive to user workflows and not suitable for frequent operations. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention advantageously fills the aforementioned deficiencies by providing a system and associated software for providing advanced data protections in a defense-in-depth system by integrating multi-factor authentication with cryptographic offloading which protects sensitive data on unsecure hosts while providing instant, on-demand data exposure information and deterministic data flow identification information for external system consumption and use. 
         [0009]    The present invention is a system together with an associated computer process, made up of the following: Client application software (client app), a secure client data store (client store), and client application plug-ins communicating with external authentication devices, each running on a host (client) computer; Server application software (server app) and a secure server data store (server store), running on a host (server) computer physically and/or virtually separated from the host computer; Authentication devices, components, or systems integrated with or connected to the client computer and exposed to client application software through operating system and third-party software interfaces; and Secure networking components running on both client and server computers facilitating secure data exchange. 
         [0010]    The present invention implements multi-factor authentication, encryption, and decryption to protect data stored on a client host computer (local data). 
         [0011]    For authentication, the client application reads policy information from the client store to acquire authentication tokens from various authentication mechanisms by directly querying the user for a password and/or calling into plug-in software interfacing with external devices. The client application uses secure networking components to transmit this information to the server application, where it verifies the user&#39;s identity and authorizes operation. The results of this process are, with secure networking components, returned to the client application which, with the server application, creates a protected communications channel for use during the remainder of a single encryption/decryption transaction. This is a prerequisite for the client and server to execute coordinated encryption/decryption operations; if the server application cannot authorize the user, the response does not set up the proper protected session. 
         [0012]    For encryption, the client application creates a unique protected (client) data identifier and other cryptographic inputs, and stores them in a protected data container securely stored in the client store. The client application also creates ephemeral encryption key(s), securely stored in a separate part of the client store, and begins to encrypt source material a block at a time. By using secure networking components and a secure network channel negotiated as a result of server application authentication previously described, the client application periodically sends (offloads) an encrypted (or plaintext) block of material and cryptographic inputs to server application software on a remote (server) host. The server application uses this cryptographic input and encrypted (or plaintext) data, generates (or retrieves if not the first time for a given encryption operation) ephemeral cryptographic key(s) associated with and unique and specific to the current operation and source data, and again encrypts the block of data storing this, the client data identifier, associated cryptographic input parameters, and encrypted text in a data container in the secure server store while also storing the cryptographic key(s) in a separate, secure portion of the server store. The server application then securely returns the results of this operation to the client application, using the same encrypted channel previously noted, where results are used as input to continue block encryption. This process continues, with periodic data offloading, until all material is encrypted, at which point the encrypted material is added to the data container in the client store. The client application then removes all plaintext source material, and the secure networking channel and all its cryptographic parameters are destroyed. 
         [0013]    The resulting single, partially double or completely double encrypted data content is composed of an “outer” data container, with data encrypted using (a) unique server-generated and server-stored cryptographic key(s), and an “inner” data container encrypted using the securely stored client cryptographic key(s). 
         [0014]    For decryption, the client application and server application after establishing the secure channel through authentication previously described, implement the expected reverse of these proceedings with proper decryption and offloading coordination. At the completion of decryption, the client application removes all ciphertext and associated cryptographic material and also securely acknowledges this operation with the server application, which does the same. The secure networking channel tears itself down when this expected data exchange and acknowledgment has been transmitted. 
         [0015]    The present invention system is unique when compared with other known systems and solutions in that it provides multi-factor authentication for file-based data access, an optional physical presence requirement for at least one authentication factor, data re-encryption when users and/or processes are no longer using temporarily decrypted material, near-seamless presentation and use of encrypted data files, on-demand data access event history, and on-demand restoration of protected files. Similarly, the associated software is unique when compared with other solutions in the way it encapsulates protected data to provide a seamless and near-native user experience, hiding the encrypted file and presenting it as a native plaintext original, while it decrypts information in concerted fashions only when the plaintext material is required. 
         [0016]    The present invention is unique in that the overall architecture of the system is different from other known systems. More specifically, the present invention system is unique in the way it secures data access event information to provide on-demand data exposure information at any time, provides universally unique content identifiers that can be used by data loss prevention and unified threat management systems to deterministically identify the content of information traversing its components, the way the client and server manage independent and unique uncoupled encryption and decryption keys, and the way it tracks data with a universally unique identifier attached to protected data containers for every encryption operation. Similarly, the software of the present invention is unique when compared with other known solutions in that it provides data protection on hosts compromised with malware such as key loggers and memory scrapers, and/or hosts that utilize credentials which have been stolen by malicious actors. 
         [0017]    The invention includes a system and associated software: 
         [0018]    to provide advanced data protections in a defense-in-depth system by integrating multi-factor, physical presence authentication with cryptographic offloading that does not suffer from any of the problems or deficiencies associated with prior solutions, 
         [0019]    to provide advanced data protections while minimizing disruptions to typical user workflows, 
         [0020]    to utilize industry-standard multi-factor authentication to inhibit malicious intruders, 
         [0021]    to independently and uniquely mark protected data so it can be deterministically identified by monitoring systems, and 
         [0022]    to provide quick and easy access to deterministic data exposure information for all protected data. 
         [0023]    The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are intended to be read in conjunction with both this summary, the detailed description and any preferred and/or particular embodiments specifically discussed or otherwise disclosed. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only and so that this disclosure will be thorough, complete and will fully convey the full scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the advanced data protection system. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the advanced data protection system. 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  illustrates a flowchart of a method of authentication according to some embodiments. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  illustrates a flowchart of a method of encryption according to some embodiments. 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart of a method of decryption according to some embodiments. 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  shows dual, optimized CBC encryption offloading according to some embodiments. 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  shows dual, serialized CBC encryption offloading according to some embodiments. 
           [0031]      FIG. 8  illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computing device configured to implement the advanced data protection according to some embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0032]    A system and associated software for providing advanced data protections in a defense-in-depth system by integrating multi-factor authentication with cryptographic offloading is described herein. 
         [0033]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the advanced data protection system. The advanced data protection system is a system together with an associated computer process, made up of the following: Client application software (client app)  100 , a secure client data store (client store)  102 , and client application plug-ins  104  communicating using external authentication tokens  106 , each running on a host (client) computer  108 ; Server application software (server app)  110  and secure server data store (server store)  112 , running on a host (server) computer  114  physically and/or virtually separated from the host client computer  108 ; authentication tokens  106 , components, or systems integrated with or connected to the client computer  108  and exposed to client application software  100  through operating system and third-party software interfaces; and secure networking components  116  running on the client computer  108  and the host computer  114  facilitating secure data exchange, and interacting with client and server application software. 
         [0034]      FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the advanced data protection system. The advanced data protection system is a system together with an associated computer process, made up of the following: Client application software (client app)  200 , a secure client data store (client store)  202 , shell extension software  204  communicating with the client application  200 , a driver  206  communicating with the client application  200  and secure client data store  202 , and client application plug-ins  208  communicating with external authentication devices, each running on a host (client) computer  210 ; Server application software (server app)  212 , secure server data store (server store)  214 , and an administrator console  216  communicating with the server application software  212 , running on a host (server) computer  218  physically and/or virtually separated from the host client computer  210 ; Authentication devices  220 , components, or systems integrated with or connected to the client computer  210  and exposed to client application software  200  through operating system and third-party software interfaces; and Secure networking components  222  running on both client and server computers facilitating secure data exchange, and interacting with client and server application software. The server application  212  also accesses a database  224  which stores any type of information. 
         [0035]    The advanced data protection system implements multi-factor authentication, encryption, and decryption to protect data stored on a client host computer (local data). 
         [0036]    For encryption, a user through the shell extension software right-clicks on a file and from the menu, chooses to encrypt the target, at which point the shell extension calls the client application with the target filename as a parameter. The client application then proceeds to authenticate and encrypt. 
         [0037]      FIG. 3  illustrates a flowchart of a method of authentication according to some embodiments. In the step  300 , for authentication, the client application first securely stores an event associated with this action, to the local client store, then reads policy information from the client store and as a result, prompts the user for a password, unless it is cached from a previous operation and a configurable timeout value in which case it re-uses the password hash, then acquires a second factor by prompting the user to touch an external USB token provided (e.g., by Yubico), and configured with a single user, which then generates a unique One-Time Password. In the step  302 , the client application uses secure networking components to transmit the information to the server application, where it first securely stores an event associated with this action, to the local server store, then verifies the user&#39;s identity and authorizes operation. In the step  304 , the results of the process are, with secure networking components, returned to the client application which, with the server application, creates a protected communications channel for use during the remainder of a single encryption/decryption transaction. This is a prerequisite for the client and server to execute coordinated encryption/decryption operations; if the server application cannot authorize the user, the response does not setup the proper protected session. In some embodiments, fewer or additional steps are implemented. In some embodiments, the order of the steps is modified. 
         [0038]      FIG. 4  illustrates a flowchart of a method of encryption according to some embodiments. In the step  400 , for encryption, the client application creates a globally unique-bit data identifier, if not passed as a parameter from the caller (see below), a unique protected (client) data identifier, and other cryptographic inputs, and stores them in a protected data container securely stored in the client store. In the step  402 , the client application also securely stores an event associated with this action to the client store, associated with the globally unique data identifier. In the step  404 , the client application also creates ephemeral encryption key(s), securely stored in a separate part of the client store, and begins to encrypt source material a block at a time. By using secure networking components and a secure network channel negotiated as a result of server application authentication previously described, and based on configuration data returned when authentication succeeded, the client application follows a cryptographic algorithm and offloading schedule to encrypt data blocks or periodically send (offload) a plaintext block of material (or encrypted material) and cryptographic inputs to the server application, in the step  406 . In the step  408 , the server application uses the cryptographic input and plaintext data (or encrypted data), generates (or retrieves if not the first time for a given encryption operation), ephemeral cryptographic key(s) associated with and unique and specific to the current operation and source data, and encrypts the block of data storing this, the client data identifier, associated cryptographic input parameters, and encrypted text in a data container in the secure server store while also storing the cryptographic key(s) in a separate, secure portion of the server store. In the step  410 , the server application then securely returns the results of this operation to the client application, using the same encrypted channel previously noted, where results are used as input to continue block encryption. This process continues, with periodic (or complete) data offloading, until all material is encrypted, at which point the encrypted material is added to the data container in the client store, in the step  412 . The client application then removes all plaintext source material, and the secure networking channel and all its cryptographic parameters are destroyed, in the step  414 . In some embodiments, fewer or additional steps are implemented. In some embodiments, the order of the steps is modified. 
         [0039]    The resulting encrypted data content is composed of an “outer” data container, with data encrypted using unique server-generated and server-stored cryptographic key(s), and an “inner” data container encrypted using the securely stored client cryptographic key(s). 
         [0040]      FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart of a method of decryption according to some embodiments. In the step  500 , for decryption, the client application and server application, after establishing the secure channel through authentication previously described, implement the expected reverse of these proceedings with proper decryption and offloading coordination. At the completion of decryption, the client application removes all ciphertext and associated cryptographic material and also securely acknowledges this operation with the server application, which does the same, in the step  502 . In the step  504 , the client application then notifies the driver, sending the globally unique data identifier as a parameter, allowing plaintext data monitoring to begin. In the step  506 , the secure networking channel tears itself down while the driver continues monitoring use of plaintext data, and when no longer being used the driver notifies the client application to re-encrypt. In this case, the driver invokes data encryption as previously described though it sends as an additional parameter the globally unique data identifier. This permits tracking of this data and its changes through multiple encryption/decryption operations which are otherwise completely decoupled. In some embodiments, fewer or additional steps are implemented. In some embodiments, the order of the steps is modified. 
         [0041]    As users and processes interact with system resources, calls to interrogate the client store for information about or within any encrypted or protected file created by this system are intercepted by the driver. In the case of enumeration, the driver hides the details of the data container and returns information to the caller such that the data container appears nearly identical to the original plaintext file. When users or applications request access to the data, the driver intercepts the call and dispatches authentication and encryption requests to the client application software, which executes the associated described procedures. Upon completion, the driver then returns references to decrypted data, allowing the requestor to utilize the secure data container in a native fashion. As previously described, the driver also monitors use of the decrypted data and dispatched authentication and encryption with the client application to re-protect and store any changes. For all of these proceedings, calls intercepted by the driver are packaged into event information records and securely stored in the client store and also with secure networking sent to the server application, where it stores event data through an association with the unique data identifier. 
         [0042]    The advanced data protection system may also have one or more of the following optional components: 
         [0043]    a) Physical presence authentication tokens, which seek to require verification of a physical human presence providing authentication with intent, 
         [0044]    b) Client system shell extensions, exposing encrypt/decryption commands through a user interface that is consistent with other file-based software programs, and as intended by the operating system, invoking encrypt/decrypt functionality with secure calls to the client application, 
         [0045]    c) Client driver, responsible for intercepting all protected data access requests, and holding this request while the driver initiates a decryption procedure by securely invoking the client application, at which point the response contains references to the newly decrypted data. The driver also, by working with shell extensions, modifies protected data enumeration requests to insulate any client store modification required to differentiate a stored protected entity from a chunk of natively stored plaintext data, with the goal of providing a seamless and native user experience independent of protected or unprotected data in the client store, 
         [0046]    d) Client monitoring software component, working with or as a part of the optional client driver, which takes input from the client application, monitors both data container and plaintext file access events, and reads/write data from/to the client store, 
         [0047]    e) Administrative software extension to the client application, provide remote configuration capabilities for encapsulating application configuration. This is in some ways preferred to a web-based interface, which due to the tools and features normally found in web presentations, is much harder to secure, 
         [0048]    f) Server database, running on the same computer as the server application, or remote from both client and server computers, usually connected to the same subnet as the server application computer, and in a monitored and protected environment, containing policy configuration and structured data access event history data suitable for reporting. 
         [0049]    The advanced data protection system may also have one or more of the following optional procedures: 
         [0050]    a) Client and server applications, and also the client monitoring software, together monitor all data access attempts to encrypted data containers in the client store, and also associated client store plaintext data, and also client and server applications, during encryption and decryption processing, collect and store event information in the associated store, associated with the unique data identifier, and in the case of the client application, with secure networking components, sends this information to the server application where it securely saves the information in the server store, 
         [0051]    b) After encryption, and by notification from the client application, the client monitoring software component tracks all system resources using plaintext data, detecting the point at which plaintext data use dependencies are all removed, optionally initiates re-encryption of the plaintext material by securely invoking client application software interfaces, 
         [0052]    c) During encryption, the client application optionally creates a globally unique-bit random data identifier, which can be used by external data protection systems to deterministically associate dataflow content with source data managed by the advanced data protection system, and in correlation with the generated historical data event log securely stored in the server store, 
         [0053]    d) Optionally, client and server applications may implement encryption in a serial fashion generally as follows: The client application encrypts local plaintext data, sends the encrypted result to sever application software, and the server encrypts the already-encrypted file, returning the result to the client application. In this case, during decryption, the client application requests from the server the key required to decrypt the data, and the client application uses this key to perform the first decryption, then uses local cryptographic key(s) information and data container stored cryptographic parameters to decrypt the resulting data, finally arriving at plaintext material, 
         [0054]    e) The system may include a protected Restore operation, which as a prerequisite requires the previous serial encryption/decryption implementation. During encryption, the server application securely stores a copy of its encryption data (and associated data container information as previously noted) which permits a client application operation that brings all protected materials down to the client. This is very useful in providing an alternative to secure, selective backup/restore capabilities that are specifically useful when mitigating risk to Ransomware, 
         [0055]    f) User interface exposed through the notification interface, permitting users to view data access event history, initiate encrypt, decrypt, and restore operations, and make configuration changes (when authorized); this interface may have administrator capabilities only exposed to certain users as defined in the Server database and implemented with server application extensions, 
         [0056]    g) Shared data decryption may be implemented with modifications to the encryption/decryption procedures as described, and in conjunction with the creation and management of individual user asymmetric public/private key pairs, where during application deployment each user generates the pair and delivers the public key to the server to be stored in the server database: After the client application finishes encrypting a file, it requests from the server application the public keys for each user in an administrator configured group of users. The server application acquires these keys from the server database and returns them to the client application where the client cryptographic key(s) gets encrypted and securely transmitted to the server application for storage in association with the encrypted file (by using the globally unique protected data identifier). When protected data is moved to another system and decrypted, after the client application decrypts the “outer” data container with the server cryptographic key(s), the client application using its local private key securely stored in the client store (after being generated during configuration, not described here), decrypts the client cryptographic key(s), then decrypts the “inner” data container to receive the final plaintext data. 
         [0057]    h) During encryption, when the client application removes all remnants of plaintext material, it optionally and based on policy identifies all cached source material such as Microsoft Office® documents, and removes the cached version. The application does this with a secure wipe algorithm. 
         [0058]    The system described herein was independently designed to protect data on hosts compromised by malicious applications or which rely upon credentials that have been stolen by unauthorized actors. In order for these protections to be effective, two-factor authentication is included in system configuration and data access authorization; the unique integration of these systemic processes realizes a solution that is otherwise not seen in other product. Additional protection is realized when at least one authentication factor seeks to require a physical and verifiable human presence with intent to authenticate, though it should be done so in a simple fashion requiring very little effort and/or processing delay. The seamless integration of protected files into a relatively normal and uninterrupted workflow, with only minor variations to the way unprotected files are accessed, makes the enhanced solutions usable; reaching this end-result with the authentication factors, in any way that requires a second or two of additional work, renders the implementation impractical for real-world use. 
         [0059]      FIG. 6  shows dual, optimized Cypher Block Chaining (CBC) encryption offloading according to some embodiments. The process begins on a host with data in plaintext. The data is encrypted on the host. In some embodiments, the data is encrypted using an initialization vector which is a random number of a certain length used with a key. In some embodiments, the data is separated into blocks, and each block is encrypted. In some embodiments, each encrypted block is then sent to a cloud computing device, and each of the blocks is encrypted on the cloud computing device. In some embodiments, random blocks of encrypted blocks are re-encrypted on the cloud computing device. For example, only blocks  1  and  5  are re-encrypted on the cloud computing device. 
         [0060]      FIG. 7  shows dual, serialized CBC encryption offloading according to some embodiments. The process begins on a host with data in plaintext. The data is encrypted on the host. In some embodiments, the data is encrypted using an initialization vector which is a random number of a certain length used with a key. In some embodiments, the data is separated into blocks, and each block is encrypted. Then, the entire encrypted file is moved to a cloud computing device. Each encrypted block is then encrypted on the cloud computing device, resulting in a double encrypted file. The double encrypted file is then moved back to the host device. 
         [0061]      FIG. 8  illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computing device configured to implement the advanced data protection according to some embodiments. The computing device  800  is able to be used to receive, send, compute, process, communicate and/or display information. In general, a hardware structure suitable for implementing the computing device  800  includes a network interface  802 , a memory  804 , a processor  806 , I/O device(s)  808 , a bus  810  and a storage device  812 . The choice of processor is not critical as long as a suitable processor with sufficient speed is chosen. The memory  804  is able to be any conventional computer memory known in the art. The storage device  812  is able to include a hard drive, CDROM, CDRW, DVD, DVDRW, flash memory card or any other storage device. The computing device  800  is able to include one or more network interfaces  802 . An example of a network interface includes a network card connected to an Ethernet or other type of LAN. The I/O device(s)  808  are able to include one or more of the following: keyboard, mouse, monitor, display, printer, modem, touchscreen, button interface and other devices. In some embodiments, the hardware structure includes multiple processors and other hardware to perform parallel processing. Advanced data protection application(s)  830  used to perform the advanced data protection are likely to be stored in the storage device  812  and memory  804  and processed as applications are typically processed. More or fewer components shown in  FIG. 8  are able to be included in the computing device  800 . In some embodiments, advanced data protection hardware  820  is included. Although the computing device  800  in  FIG. 8  includes advanced data protection applications  830  and advanced data protection hardware  820  for implementing the advanced data protection, the advanced data protection is able to be implemented on a computing device in hardware, firmware, software or any combination thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the advanced data protection applications  830  are programmed in a memory and executed using a processor. In another example, in some embodiments, the advanced data protection hardware  820  is programmed hardware logic including gates specifically designed to implement the advanced data protection. 
         [0062]    Examples of suitable computing devices include a personal computer, a laptop computer, a computer workstation, a server, a mainframe computer, a handheld computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular/mobile telephone, a smart appliance, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a gaming console, a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a camera phone, a video player, a DVD writer/player, a Blu-ray® writer/player, a television, a home entertainment system or any other suitable computing device. 
         [0063]    In each embodiment, the nature of requiring cryptographic material from both the client device and the server device has the distinct advantage of insulating end-users on client devices from unilateral legal action designed to recover plaintext material without their knowledge. This is not possible, as reconstructing plaintext requires artifacts from both entities, thus end-users are protected against unknowing disclosure of their protected content. 
         [0064]    To utilize the advanced data protection, a user generally does not have to do much, if anything, differently than they usually do to access files. The user is able to access files in a typical manner. In some embodiments, the user specifies which files to protect. In some embodiments, the user verifies authority/access (e.g., using a password, biometrics or any other implementation) before accessing data. 
         [0065]    In operation, the advanced data protection securely protects user data, enables backup and restore as well as providing a secure audit implementation. 
         [0066]    While the present invention has been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, and which are intended to be and are covered by both this disclosure and the appended claims. It is indeed intended that the scope of the invention should be determined by proper interpretation and construction of the appended claims and their legal equivalents, as understood by those of skill in the art relying upon the disclosure in this specification and the attached drawings.