Patent ID: 8819443

Claim:
A storage device configured to secure a password and to authenticate a host device, comprising: a non-volatile storage media; an interface coupled to at least one host device; and a processor, the processor being operative to: receive, via the interface with the at least one host device, a first entered password needed for accessing data stored in the non-volatile storage media; generate a first number; combine the first entered password and the first number; generate a cryptographic key based on the combination of the first entered password and the first number; encrypt the received first entered password using the cryptographic key: store the encrypted first entered password and the first number in the non-volatile media; receive, via the interface, a request for authentication; responsive to the received request for authentication, provide to the at least one host device, via the interface, a reply comprising the first number with which the cryptographic key was generated: receive, via the interface, a second number calculated by the at least one host device, the second number being based on a cryptographic combination of the first number provided to the at least one host device and a second entered password; and authenticate the at least one host device if the second number successfully decrypts the encrypted first entered password.