Patent ID: 7694134

Claim:
A method of encrypting data, comprising: determining whether a data storage device will have one or more encrypted files, wherein determining whether the data storage device will have one or more encrypted files comprises: using a first intercept of an operating system associated with the data storage device, wherein the first intercept is configured to interrupt control of an OPEN/READ instruction of the operating system; and identifying at least one parameter associated with data to be stored on the data storage device; automatically setting, based at least in part on the determination of whether the data storage device will have one or more encrypted files, one or more device-level flags of the data storage device to indicate that the data storage device will have one or more encrypted files; monitoring the operating system associated with the data storage device for a first input/output event associated with the data storage device; if the first input/output event associated with the data storage device occurs, recognizing, using at least a second intercept, the occurrence of the first input/output event; and using the second intercept, initiating encryption of data being written to the data storage device; encrypting, using a device-level encryption process at the data storage device, the data using a data encryption key; encrypting the data encryption key using a public key and a master key, the master key configured to enable modifications of at least two files stored on the data storage device; storing the encrypted data on the data storage device; storing the public key on the data storage device; and storing the master key on a computer-readable medium external to the data storage device.