Patent ID: 8140733

Claim:
A secure external hub for coupling a plurality of peripheral devices to a host computer, each peripheral device including device identification (ID), the hub comprising: a communication cable for connection with the host computer; a first connection port for connection with a first peripheral device including first device ID; a first communication path extending between the first connection port and the communication cable; a first switch coupled within the first communication path; an administrator input device; a memory for storing at least one authorized device ID; and a processor coupled to the first switch, the administrator input device, and the memory, the processor programmed to designate the at least one authorized device ID in response to an administrator input received via the administrator input device, to receive the first device ID when the first peripheral device is connected to the first connection port, to identify a match between the first device ID and the at least one stored authorized device ID, and to selectively actuate the first switch such that communication is enabled through the first communication path when a match is identified and communication is disabled when a match is not identified.