Patent ID: 7577996

Claim:
A system for protecting sensitive information in a network comprising: a network component for storing the sensitive information necessary for authorized network access; a network device, attachable to the network, that lacks the sensitive information necessary for authorized network access and is inoperative, at least in part, until the sensitive information is stored therein; wherein, when the network device is attached to the network, the sensitive information necessary for authorized network access is downloaded from the network component and stored in the network device so that the network device becomes operational; wherein, when the network device is disconnected from the network, the sensitive information necessary for authorized network access is erased from the network device, thereby making the network device inoperative at least in part and removing the sensitive information necessary for authorized network access from the network device; wherein the network component is located in a secure environment comprising security for both physical access and network communications; wherein the sensitive information necessary for authorized network access is selected from the group consisting of configuration information, a software image, and a combination of the forgoing; and wherein the sensitive information is bundled with self-extracting software as stored at the network component.