Patent ID: 8468591

Claim:
A system for protecting computing devices and associated secure data stored in at least one secure data storage component from unauthorized access by controlling whether such computing devices are permitted to boot their respective operating systems, the system comprising: at least one protected computing device configured for communication through a network with a storage controller to access the secure data, the protected computing device having an operating system and a virtual machine, the virtual machine configured to be launched during boot of the protected computing device but prior to launch of the operating; an authentication server configured for authenticating the protected computing device for access to the secure data; and a virtual machine manager associated with the virtual machine, the virtual machine manager configured to be launched during boot of the protected computing device, the virtual machine manager configured to cause the authentication server to authenticate the protected computing device, the virtual machine manager configured to make a decision whether to allow the protected computing device to either launch or not launch the operating system based upon whether the protected computing device is either authenticated or not, respectively, by the authentication server, the virtual machine manager configured to control the protected computing device to either launch or not launch the operating system based upon the decision.