Patent ID: 8433901

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of erasing user data stored in a file system, the method causing a computing device to perform steps comprising: receiving, by the computing device, through a wireless data connection, obliteration instructions from a master device, wherein the master device generates the obliteration instructions in response to the computing device being reported as lost or stolen; destroying, by the computing device, in response to receiving the obliteration instructions, all key bags containing encryption keys loaded in a volatile memory on the computing device and all key bags containing encryption keys stored in a file system on the computing device, wherein the file system on the computing device uses file-level data protection; sending, by the computing device, in response to the destroying, incremental confirmations of at least one step of execution of the obliteration instructions to the master device through the wireless data connection; erasing and rebuilding, subsequent to the destroying, at least part of the file system associated with user data; creating, subsequent to the erasing and rebuilding, a new default key bag containing class encryption keys, wherein each class encryption key is encrypted using a unique code specific to the computing device, and the unique code is only usable by the device; and rebooting the computing device subsequent to creating the new default key bag.