Patent ID: 7818567

Claim:
A method for protecting a Security Accounts Manager (SAM) file within a Windows® operating system, said method comprising: generating a SAM file encryption key by encrypting a SAM file via a syskey utility provided within said Windows® operating system; storing said SAM file encryption key to a virtual floppy disk by selecting an option to store SAM file encryption key to a floppy disk under said syskey utility; generating a blob based on said SAM file encryption key, wherein said blob is generated by performing a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Seal command against said SAM file encryption key along with a value stored in a Performance Control Register and a TPM Storage Root Key; and storing said blob in a non-volatile storage device of a computer; retrieving said SAM file encryption key during Power On Self-Test by performing a TPM Unseal command on said blob against said value of stored in said Performance Control Register, wherein retrieving said SAM file encryption key includes tricking said Windows® operating system to read from said virtual floppy disk instead of a physical floppy disk by trapping a read request number to a floppy drive; and providing said SAM file encryption key to said Windows® operating system during system boot up via interrupt handler.