JP2581008B2 - Storage device with security mechanism - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a storage device having a security mechanism.
With a mechanism to keep stored data confidential.
The present invention relates to a magnetic disk drive .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 57-178456 discloses a known technique for maintaining the confidentiality of data stored in a magnetic disk device or the like. This permits access to the magnetic disk device only when the identification information matches. That is, the identification information is recorded in the magnetic disk device in advance, and when the user uses the magnetic disk device, the identification information is manually input. Then, the input identification information is collated with the pre-recorded identification information to determine the permission / non-permission of use, and the access to the magnetic disk device is permitted only when the use is permitted.

In some personal computers, a key is provided on the main body, and the main body is electrically locked so that power cannot be turned on (system startup) when the key is locked, or the housing is locked when the key is locked. Measures have been taken to prevent physical theft of the magnetic disk device by preventing the body from being dismantled.

[0004]

However, most desktop personal computers have no countermeasures such as equipping a key, but the method of attaching and detaching a magnetic disk has been simplified in order to improve operability. And the likelihood of being stolen is increasing.

The above-mentioned prior art disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-178456 has a drawback in that it is necessary to manually input identification information every time a user accesses the magnetic disk device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and has as its object to provide a storage device with a security mechanism capable of maintaining security without requiring a user to manually input identification information. It is to provide.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A storage device with a security mechanism according to the present invention is a storage device for maintaining the security of stored data, is detachable from its own device, and has access to its own device. Command sending means for sending an identification information sending command to an external access device which performs the identification information sending;
The external access device within a predetermined time from the time when the
And an access permitting means for permitting access to the data only when the identification information is input from the server .

[0008]

[0009]

The data access is permitted only when the identification information input from the removable external access device in response to the identification information command matches the identification information of the own device. Also, data access is permitted only when identification information is input from the access device within a predetermined time from the transmission of the identification information command.

[0010]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a security system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the security system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a security mechanism 100 provided on the host 1 side and a security mechanism 200 provided on the magnetic disk device 2 side. The host 1 is provided with a host mechanism 10 such as a personal computer main body, and the magnetic disk drive 2 is provided with a magnetic disk mechanism 20 for storing data.
Communication path 3 such as a cable between
Connected by

The confidentiality maintaining mechanism 100 of the host 1 includes an ID storage table 13 for storing unique identification information (hereinafter, referred to as ID) arbitrarily set by a user, a transmission / reception circuit 11 for transmitting / receiving data, and And an analysis circuit 12 for analyzing received data.

On the other hand, a confidentiality maintenance mechanism 200 of the magnetic disk device 2 has a CPU (Central Processing Un) that monitors all events that occur in the mechanism.
it) 21 and a transmitting / receiving circuit 22 for transmitting / receiving data
An analysis circuit 23 for analyzing received data, an ID storage table 24 for storing a unique ID that can be arbitrarily set by a user, a matching circuit 25 for referring to and matching data included in the analyzed signal, A control circuit 26 for executing control for securing / disconnecting a communication path between the disk device 2 and the host 1;
The timer 27 monitors a time arbitrarily set by the user.

In such a configuration, the user registers any unique ID in the ID storage tables 13 and 24 in advance. In this case, the same ID information is registered in the ID storage tables 13 and 24.

In general, a CPU in a main body of a personal computer executes an initialization process on a magnetic disk device connected when the main body is powered on. In the system of this embodiment, the magnetic disk device is included in the initialization process. The host 2 determines whether the connection partner is valid or invalid as a connection partner.

In the security maintaining mechanism 200 provided on the magnetic disk device 2 side, the host 1
The transmission / reception circuit 22 transmits data serving as a command for returning an ID to the security maintaining mechanism 100 provided on the side.

In the security maintaining mechanism 100, the data transmitted from the transmission / reception circuit 22 is received by the transmission / reception circuit 11, and is analyzed by the analysis circuit 12. Then, referring to the ID registered in the ID storage table 13 based on the analyzed contents, data including the ID is generated and returned from the transmission / reception circuit 11.

Next, in the security mechanism 200, the data returned from the security mechanism 100 is transmitted and received by the transmission / reception circuit 22.
And the analysis circuit 23 analyzes the reply data. The ID included in the data analyzed by the analysis circuit 23, that is, the ID registered in the ID storage table 13 and the I
D is compared and collated in the collation circuit 25.

If the IDs match as a result of the check, it is determined that the connection request is from a valid host. In this case, data indicating connection permission is transmitted to the confidentiality storage mechanism 100, and the control circuit 26 controls the magnetic disk mechanism 2.
A communication path with the "0" is secured. This ends the process. Thereafter, there is no need to input an ID, and the magnetic disk mechanism 20 can be accessed as usual.

On the other hand, if the IDs do not match as a result of the collation, it is determined that the connection request is from an unspecified host, and the control circuit 26 electrically disconnects the communication path with the security mechanism 100. This ends the process.

The timer 27 is configured so that the user can set an arbitrary time. If the security mechanism 200 does not return the ID within the set time of the timer 27 from the time when the security mechanism 200 sends the data serving as the command to return the ID, it is determined that the connection request is from the unspecified host. The control circuit 26 controls the security
The communication path with the terminal is electrically disconnected. Thus, the process ends. The time setting for the timer 27 is performed by key input, a switch on the back of the apparatus, or the like. The time may be set in advance.

Security mechanism 100 and security mechanism 200
Is basically a timer that works in pairs
By providing the monitoring function according to 7, data confidentiality can be maintained even when the magnetic disk is passed to a third party's hand due to theft or the like. In other words, if the confidentiality protection mechanism 100 is not provided on the third party host side, since there is no reply of the ID within the set time of the timer 27, it is timed out and the connection request is from an unspecified person's host. By making a determination, the communication path can be electrically disconnected in response to a connection request from an unspecified host.

With the recent miniaturization of the magnetic disk drive and the simplification of the mounting / removing method, the possibility of the device being stolen has increased. However, according to the device of this example, even if the device is stolen, it is stored Data can be prevented from leaking to the outside. When the stored data is confidential information, the magnetic disk device is considered to be particularly effective.

As described above, by permitting access only when the IDs match, even if the storage device is stolen, the stored data is not accessed, and the confidentiality of the data is kept. You can keep it.
Moreover, the user does not need to input the ID.

Even when access is permitted only when an ID is input within a predetermined time after power-on, data is not accessed similarly, and the confidentiality can be maintained.

In the above embodiments, the case of a magnetic disk device has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is apparent that the present invention can be widely applied to various storage devices such as a semiconductor storage device.

[0027]

[0028]

[0029]

[0030]

[0031]

[0032]

As described above, the present invention permits data access only when the identification information input from the external access device matches the identification information of the storage device in response to the identification information command, In addition, by permitting data access only when identification information is input from the access device within a predetermined time from the transmission of the identification information command, the confidentiality of the data stored in the storage device can be maintained. effective.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a security system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host 2 Magnetic disk device 3 Communication path 10 Host mechanism 20 Magnetic disk mechanism 11, 22 Transmission / reception circuit 12, 23 Analysis circuit 13, 24 ID storage table 21 CPU 25 Verification circuit 26 Control circuit 27 Timer 100, 200 Security protection mechanism

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A storage device for maintaining the confidentiality of stored data, wherein the storage device is detachable from its own device and sends a command to send an identification information sending command to an external access device accessing the device. Means and the identification information sending finger
Command from the external access device within a predetermined time
A storage device comprising: an access permission unit that permits access to the data only when identification information is input . 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said command sending means turns on a power supply of the own apparatus.
Characterized by transmitting the identification information transmission command at times.
The storage device according to claim 1. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said command sending means is provided with an initializing device.
Sending the identification information sending command at the time of rise
The storage device according to claim 1.