JP2008009503A - Data protection method and data protection program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use a protection file stored in a protection storage area invisible from an OS without moving the storage area. <P>SOLUTION: This data protection method comprises: a step for formatting a storage area based on data arrangement which is available by an operating system, and intentionally recording an improper value as an identifier for specifying the data arrangement of the storage area in the management area of the storage area; a terminal user authentication step for authenticating whether to permit the terminal user to use the storage area; a visual type integration step for changing the identifier to specify the data arrangement recorded in the management area into a proper value after authentication is successful, and integrating the partition type into a visual type; and an invisible type integration step for returning the partition type to the invisible type by restoring the identifier to specify the data arrangement recorded in the management area into an improper value when the authenticated terminal user ends access to the storage area. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method and a program for providing a visible area and an invisible area from an operating system in a storage area of a storage device, and storing and protecting data in the invisible area.

For example, a file allocation system (FAT) 16 or a new technology file may be used as an arrangement (hereinafter referred to as “file system” or “data arrangement”) for recording logical file data or directory information in a storage area of a storage device. There are many types such as system (NTFS). In order to distinguish these file systems, an identifier for specifying the partition type of the file system is recorded in a management area called a master boot record (MBR) of the storage area. An operating system (hereinafter also referred to as an “OS”) that operates on a terminal to which a storage device is connected is a file system that is read by the partition type recorded in the management area of the storage area and that the OS itself supports. It is determined whether or not.
In addition, there exists the following patent document 1 as a well-known technical document relevant to this invention.
JP 2004-220400 A

  The file protection method disclosed in Patent Document 1 provides a storage area (protected storage area) that is not supported by the OS, stores the file in that area, and protects the file by hiding it from the OS. However, in order to use files saved in the protected storage area (hereinafter also referred to as “protected files”), the user has to move the protected files to a storage area (unprotected storage area) supported by the OS. Cost. Further, in order to protect the files that have been used, there is a problem that the terminal user needs to return the files to the original protected storage area.

  In view of the above-described situation, the present invention can quickly use a protected file stored in a protected storage area only for an authenticated terminal user, and at that time, hassle to move to use the protected file. Another object of the present invention is to provide a data protection method and a data protection program that can eliminate the need to restore the file when the file is used.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to a storage device for storing data, an operating system, an application program that can be comprehensively controlled by the operating system, and the operating system and program. The processing unit is provided, and the partition type is set by recording an identifier for properly displaying the data arrangement of the storage area in the storage device in the management area of the storage area, and the identifier recorded in the management area is read out Whether or not the data arrangement is properly displayed, and if the determined result is appropriate, using the computer terminal that can access the data in the storage area by executing the application program, the operating system Becomes invisible A data protection method for protecting file data stored in a protected storage area and allowing access only to authorized terminal users, wherein the storage area is divided into the protected storage area and the unprotected storage area. Each storage area is formatted into a data arrangement that can be used by the operating system, and the management area of the storage area intentionally records an inappropriate value as an identifier for specifying the data arrangement of the protection storage area A setting step, a terminal user authentication step for authenticating whether or not the terminal user may use the protected storage area, and an identifier for specifying the data arrangement recorded in the management area after the authentication is successful The visible type step to change the partition type to a visible value to make the partition type visible, and the authenticated terminal user has access to the protected storage area. A data protection method comprising: an invisible type step of returning an identifier for specifying the data arrangement recorded in the management area to an inappropriate value when the process ends, and returning the partition type to an invisible type. It is.

According to the data protection method of the first aspect of the invention, the data of the protection file set so as to be invisible from the operating system is protected and protected so as to be accessible only to authorized terminal users. Saved in storage.
Here, the storage area of the USB memory is divided in advance into a protected storage area and an unprotected storage area, and each storage area is formatted so as to have a data arrangement usable by the operating system.
The management area of the storage area is set to be invisible to the operating system by recording an inappropriate value identifier that intentionally makes it impossible to specify the data arrangement of the protected storage area. Note that the entity that executes the data protection method is generally a terminal, and more specifically, its arithmetic processing unit.

A method for accessing protected data will be described below.
Each time the terminal user uses the terminal, the terminal user authentication step is performed to authenticate whether or not the protected storage area to be used can be accessed. Once authenticated, perform a visible typing step to make the partition type visible. That is, even if the application program is executed while the identifier of the protected storage area recorded in the management area cannot be specified, the data in the protected storage area cannot be accessed. When the partition type is changed to the identifier for proper display, the visible type is obtained.

  The data recorded in the protected storage area that has become the visible type becomes accessible as the application program is executed. After that, if access to the protected storage area ends when the terminal user ends the use of the application program, the relationship between the identifier recorded in the management area and the data arrangement of the protected storage area is incorrect as before. An invisible typing step is performed to restore the state and return the partition type to the invisible type.

  By doing so, the authenticated terminal user can access the data of the protected file stored in the protected storage area that was invisible, and is stored to be protected after the access. . In these series of operations, when the authenticated terminal user accesses the protected file stored in the protected storage area, the user is required to move the protected file to the visible unprotected storage area, and the unprotected storage area after the access. There is no need to return to the protected storage area.

  A data protection program according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a storage device for storing data, an operating system, an application program that can be comprehensively controlled by the operating system, and an arithmetic process for executing the operating system and the program. A partition type is set by recording in the management area of the storage area, and an identifier recorded in the management area is read and the data is read out It is determined whether or not the layout is properly displayed, and if the determined result is appropriate, it is invisible from the operating system using a computer terminal that can access the data in the storage area by executing the application program. A data protection program for protecting file data stored in a protected storage and allowing access only to authorized terminal users, wherein the storage area is divided into the protected storage area and the unprotected storage area. Each storage area is formatted into a data arrangement that can be used by the operating system, and the management area of the storage area is a protected storage area setting in which an inappropriate value is intentionally recorded as an identifier for specifying the data arrangement of the protection storage area A terminal user authentication step for authenticating whether or not the terminal user may use the protected storage area, and an identifier for specifying the data arrangement recorded in the management area after the authentication is successful A visible typing step to change the partition type to a visible type by changing to an appropriate value, and the authenticated terminal user Causing the terminal to execute a step including an invisible type step of returning an identifier specifying the data arrangement recorded in the management area to an inappropriate value when the access is terminated and returning the partition type to an invisible type. It is a data protection program characterized.

  According to the data protection program of the second aspect, substantially the same operational effects as the data protection method of the first aspect can be obtained.

  As described above, according to the data protection method and the data protection program of the present invention, the authenticated terminal user can quickly access the protected data file stored in the protected storage area after being authenticated. It becomes possible to do. At this time, it is possible to save the terminal user from having to move from the invisible area to the visible area in order to use the protected data file. Similarly, it is possible to save the user from having to restore the file when the user has finished using the file.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
Here, regarding the OS, which is a basic program for comprehensively controlling the operation of a personal computer (hereinafter, abbreviated as “personal computer”) in both software and hardware, Microsoft Corporation, which has been widely spread at the time of filing this application An embodiment when the present invention is implemented by a terminal capable of installing and operating Windows XP (registered trademark) will be described. The OS is not limited to Windows XP (registered trademark), and the computer is not limited to a personal computer.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a data protection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In addition to an arithmetic processing unit (not shown), an OS 102 is disposed inside the terminal 101 shown in FIG. Various application programs (hereinafter referred to as “application software”) are executed using these functions. In this embodiment, the main body that executes the data protection method and the data protection program is the computer terminal 101, and in detail, is an arithmetic processing unit. However, for convenience of explanation, a program such as an OS or application software is the main execution body. There is also an anthropomorphic notation as if it were.

  The hardware provided in the terminal 101 constitutes input / output means for inputting / outputting data and display means when operated and executed by the terminal user. The input / output means includes an input keyboard and mouse, a printing apparatus for print output, and the like, and the display means means a display.

  The hardware arranged in the terminal 101 can be used by being connected to application software that operates under the control of the OS 102. This hardware includes a disk-type storage device connected to the inside or the outside of the terminal 101 as a kind of storage means. Examples of the disk type storage device include a hard disk, a flexible disk, and a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory that can be input / output as a pseudo disk type storage device.

  The USB memory 104 (storage device) stores data including the OS 102 and various programs. The program stored in the USB memory 104 is executed by the arithmetic processing unit. Various application software is controlled by the OS 102 together with hardware.

In the USB memory 104, an area that can be used by the OS 102 (visible area) and an unusable area (invisible area) can be set separately. It is also possible to distinguish and set a visible area from which the terminal user can recognize the presence of data or a program and an invisible area that cannot be recognized.
The protection program 103 issues a special input / output command to the OS 102 to change the unusable area to a usable area and vice versa.
The OS 102, the protection program 103, and various types of application software are arranged in the usable area. However, at the time of execution, the OS 102, the protection program 103, and various application software are read into a memory (not shown) inside the terminal 101 and operate. However, the operating system 102 and general application software may be arranged in an existing storage device in the terminal 101 instead of a storage device that stores data such as the USB memory 104.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a USB memory used in the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the storage areas are schematically arranged linearly from left to right in order from the first sector. Hereinafter, the configuration of the storage area of the USB memory 104 will be described with reference to FIG.
The MBR 201 is a master boot record that records storage area management information in the USB memory 104. The MBR 201 includes a plurality of partition tables that record partition positions and partition types.

  A partition is an area obtained by dividing an area other than the MBR in a storage area into a plurality of areas, and a partition type specifies an arrangement for physically recording logical files and directories in the partition. It is an identifier for Further, the rules regarding the arrangement are called a file system. The structure of the partition table will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The file system that can be used by the OS 102 includes, for example, a file allocation table (FAT) 16 and a new technology file system (NTFS). The partition types are “06” and “07”, respectively. Here, “available” means that the OS 102 and application software operating under the control of the OS 102 can access the data recorded in the partition as a file or a directory.

  Although it is possible to access MBR 201 and data recorded in a partition that is not “usable” by issuing a special input / output command, such special special software can be accessed. It has no functionality and cannot access data in partitions that are not “usable”.

  The partition A 202 is a partition formatted with a file system usable by the OS 102. In the partition table 301 of this partition, a correct identifier “06” in the file system compatible with the OS 102 is set. The partition A 202 also stores authentication data that is referred to when the terminal user is authenticated when the protection program 103 is executed.

  The partition B 203 is a partition formatted with a file system usable by the OS 102. However, an intentionally incorrect identifier “F6” is set in the partition table 303 of this partition. The special input / output command is used for setting the incorrect identifier.

  When the storage area of the USB memory 104 is configured as described above, the OS 102 determines that the partition A 202 can be used, and the OS 102 and application software that operates under the control of the OS 102 store the data recorded in the partition A 202. Because it can be recognized and accessed as a file or a directory, the operation of such software is called “visible”.

  On the other hand, since it is determined that the partition B203 cannot be used, the data recorded in the partition B203 cannot be accessed as a file or a directory, and normal application software that does not issue the special input / output command is executed. Since the existence of the partition B 203 itself cannot be recognized, the operation of such software is called “invisible”.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a partition table in the USB memory shown in FIG. The partition table 301 and the partition table 303 shown in FIG. 3 respectively correspond to the partition A 202 and the partition B 203 shown in FIG. Among these, a partition type setting area 302 is set in a part of the partition table 301. Similarly, a partition type setting area 304 is set in a part of the partition table 303.

  In the partition table 301, the correct identifier “06” in the FAT16 file system is set as an identifier for determining that the OS 102 is usable. On the other hand, an illegal identifier “F6” is intentionally set in the partition table 303 so that the OS 102 determines that it cannot be used.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for reading a protected file by the protection program 103 shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, the word “step” is omitted.
The protection program 103 first authenticates the terminal user by executing a terminal user authentication step (S401).

  As specific authentication means, in addition to general password verification, authentication data such as a fingerprint, retina, or finger vein pattern, which is a type of biometric authentication that is being adopted as the latest security means, is input, and the partition A 202 is preliminarily input. There is an authentication means for authenticating the terminal user if the data matches with the recorded authentication data, and for unauthorized use if the data does not match. However, since these authentication means are well-known, detailed description is abbreviate | omitted here.

  In the terminal user authentication step (S401), the authentication data input each time the terminal 101 is used is collated with the recorded authentication data. If authentication fails due to the result of the verification of the verified authentication data, the terminal user is regarded as unauthorized use by the computer system including the terminal 101, and the protection program 103 shown in FIGS. End (stop) the process of reading the protected file by. On the other hand, in the terminal user authentication step (S401), if the authentication is successful as a result of the verification of the authentication data, the computer system regards it as a legitimate use. Migrate to

  In this manner, each time the terminal user uses the terminal 101, the terminal user is authenticated through the terminal user authentication step (S401) as to whether or not the storage area to be used may be accessed. If authenticated, the terminal 101 executes a visible typing step (S402) for changing the partition type to a visible type. In this visualizing step (S402), a request to change the partition type of the partition B203 to the correct identifier “06” in the FAT16 file system is issued to the OS 102 by executing the protection program 103. For example, a change request is issued from the protection program 103 to the OS 102 by, for example, issuing an IO_CTL_SET_PARITY_INFO_EX disk management control code.

  In the partition mounting step (S403), the OS 102 is requested to mount the partition B 203 by executing the protection program 103. Specifically, a mount request is issued by issuing SetVolumeMountPoint. Then, the OS 102 correctly recognizes the partition B 203 as being compatible with the FAT16 file system, and the terminal user accesses the file or directory recorded in the partition B 203 using the OS 102 and application software that operates under the overall control of the OS 102. become able to.

  In the terminal use end step (S404), the process waits until the terminal user finishes using the application software. When the terminal user performs an end operation on the terminal 101, the protection program 103 executes a corresponding process to request the OS 102 to unmount the partition B 203.

  By executing the terminal use end step (S404), unmounting of the partition B203 is requested. As a specific method of unmounting, there is a method of issuing DeleteVolumeMountPoint to the OS 102 by executing the protection program 103.

  In the invisible typing step (S405), following the terminal use termination step (S404), the protection program 103 is set so that the partition type of the partition B203 is returned to “F6” which has been intentionally set as an inappropriate value in advance. In response to the request to the OS 102, the partition type of the partition B 203 is returned to the original invisible type in response to the return request, and the process ends.

As described above, after the terminal user finishes using the partition type setting area 304 of the partition B, the partition type setting area is set to an invisible area by returning the identifier of the area to an illegal value set intentionally in advance. Protect 304 information.
In other words, if access to the storage area is terminated when the terminal user terminates the use of the application software, the identifier recorded in the management area is returned to an inappropriate state and recorded in the storage area. It is impossible to specify the data arrangement.
In this embodiment, the case where the usable area and the unusable area are configured in the USB memory is described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be configured in a storage device or a storage medium such as a hard disk drive, an SD (Secure Digital) memory card, or a CF (Compact Flash) memory card. In addition, the usable area and the unusable area may not be configured in the same storage device or storage medium, but may be configured separately.

As described above, according to the data protection method of the embodiment of the present invention, the protected storage area can be used immediately after the terminal user is authenticated. That is, it is possible to save the trouble of the terminal user moving to the unprotected storage area in order to use the protected file.
Further, when the terminal user has finished using the file, it is possible to save the trouble of returning the protected file to the protected storage area in order to protect the protected file as it was.
And according to the data protection program which concerns on embodiment of this invention, the effect equivalent to the said data protection method is acquired.

1 is a schematic diagram of a data protection system according to an embodiment. It is a block diagram of the USB memory used in the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a partition table in the USB memory shown in FIG. 2. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which reads a protection file by the protection program 103 shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

101 terminal 102 OS
103 Protection program 104 USB memory 201 MBR
202 Partition A
203 Partition B
301 Partition table for partition A 302 Partition type setting area for partition A 303 Partition table for partition B 304 Partition type setting area for partition B

Claims (2)

A storage device for storing data, an operating system, an application program that can be comprehensively controlled by the operating system, and an arithmetic processing unit for executing the operating system and program, and data in a storage area in the storage device A partition type is set by recording an identifier for properly displaying the arrangement in the management area of the storage area, and an identifier recorded in the management area is read to determine whether or not the data arrangement is properly displayed. If the determined result is appropriate, by using a computer terminal that can access the data in the storage area by executing the application program,
A data protection method for protecting file data stored in a protected storage area that is invisible from the operating system and allowing access only to authorized terminal users,
The storage area is divided into the protected storage area and the unprotected storage area, and each storage area is formatted into a data arrangement usable by an operating system, and the protected storage area is arranged in the management area of the storage area. A protected storage setting step for intentionally recording an inappropriate value as an identifier to be identified;
A terminal user authentication step for authenticating whether or not the terminal user may use the protected storage area; and
Visible type conversion step to change the identifier specifying the data arrangement recorded in the management area after successful authentication to an appropriate value to make the partition type visible type;
When the authenticated terminal user finishes access to the protected storage area, the identifier for specifying the data arrangement recorded in the management area is returned to an inappropriate value, and the partition type is returned to the invisible type. And a data protection method comprising the steps of: A storage device for storing data, an operating system, an application program that can be comprehensively controlled by the operating system, and an arithmetic processing unit for executing the operating system and program, and data in a storage area in the storage device A partition type is set by recording an identifier for properly displaying the arrangement in the management area of the storage area, and an identifier recorded in the management area is read to determine whether or not the data arrangement is properly displayed. If the determined result is appropriate, by using a computer terminal that can access the data in the storage area by executing the application program,
A data protection program that protects data in a file stored in a protected storage area that is invisible from the operating system and allows access only to authorized terminal users,
The storage area is divided into the protected storage area and the unprotected storage area, and each storage area is formatted into a data arrangement usable by an operating system, and the protected storage area is arranged in the management area of the storage area. A protected storage setting step for intentionally recording an inappropriate value as an identifier to be identified;
A terminal user authentication step for authenticating whether or not the terminal user may use the protected storage area; and
Visible type conversion step to change the identifier specifying the data arrangement recorded in the management area after successful authentication to an appropriate value to make the partition type visible type;
When the authenticated terminal user finishes access to the protected storage area, the identifier for specifying the data arrangement recorded in the management area is returned to an inappropriate value, and the partition type is returned to the invisible type. And a step of causing the terminal to execute a step including the steps.

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