Patent ID: 8412865

Claim:
A method to authenticate an external USB storage device connected to a port of a host computer on a network, the method comprising: the host computer conducting an authentication handshake with the external USB storage device and during the authentication handshake the host computer seeks an authentication key from the external USB storage device, with correct authentication keys being maintained in a lookup table, the lookup table also including restrictions, the restrictions being for access to at least one of: applications, data, and network; electrically disconnecting the external USB storage device from the host computer if the authentication key is incorrect; allowing access to the host computer by the external USB storage device if the authentication key is correct and provided within a first predetermined period; and when the authentication key is not provided within the first predetermined period, allocating the authentication key to the external USB storage device that does not have the authentication key upon receiving a positive response within a second predetermined period to a query for whether the authentication key is required, checking the external USB storage device to determine whether the USB storage device stores data indicating that it is of a predetermined identity and, if the external USB storage device is of the predetermined identity, allocating the authentication key to the external USB storage device, wherein access to either the host computer or the network is restricted to certain applications or certain data of the host computer or the network for a correct authentication key, the restrictions being created in accordance with the predetermined identity when the correct authentication key is allocated.