Hard Drive Volume Segmentation for Malware Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for protecting hard drives from unauthorized data changes, such as firewalls and anti-virus software, are inadequate as they can be bypassed by new viruses and require continuous updates, and existing solutions for data protection are burdensome and prone to user errors, leading to potential permanent damage from malware and viruses.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that utilizes a hard drive with separate volumes for protected and unprotected data, where the protected volume is write-protected and can be restored to its initial state upon restart, while the unprotected volume allows temporary changes that are erased upon restart, effectively creating a safe environment for connecting to networks and experimenting with system settings without fear of permanent damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If anti-virus software with virus characteristics is used to detect viruses, then virus detection capability is improved, but new viruses without known characteristics can circumvent the software

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevirus detection capabilityVSAvoidability to detect new viruses

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The hard drive is divided into multiple volumes with different protection levels. Volume 1 contains protected data that cannot be modified, while Volume 2 contains unprotected data that can be modified. This segmentation allows the system to protect critical data without requiring continuous virus definition updates, as the protection is structural rather than detection-based.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary protection by write-protecing Volume 1 before any virus infection can occur. Critical data is pre-positioned in the protected volume, and the system is configured to restore from this protected state after restart, preventing virus propagation before it can cause damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If firewalls are used to protect computer networks, then network security is improved, but firewalls can still be defeated by attacks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork securityVSAvoidvulnerability to attacks

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a protective buffer by storing immutable backup data in Volume 1 before any potential attack. The write-protection mechanism acts as a cushion that absorbs attack impacts, allowing the system to restart and restore from the protected state without permanent damage, even when firewalls are breached.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If password or physical key security features are imposed to prevent unauthorized changes, then data protection is improved, but user convenience deteriorates due to forgetting passwords or losing keys

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata protectionVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides self-service protection through automatic restart and restore functionality. After a restart, the system automatically restores protected data from Volume 1 without requiring user intervention, password entry, or physical key verification. The protection mechanism serves itself by leveraging the restart event to revert to the protected state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Adaptability or versatility

If the hard drive allows data changes for experimentation and software upgrades, then system adaptability is improved, but the risk of permanent damage from viruses and malware increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem configurabilityVSAvoidrisk of permanent damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The hard drive is segmented into Volume 1 (protected, read-only after initialization) and Volume 2 (unprotected, writable). This allows the system to permit experimentation and software installation in Volume 2 while maintaining immutable backups in Volume 1. The segmentation enables safe adaptability by isolating risky operations from critical data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of critical data in Volume 1 that serves as an immutable backup. This copy is protected from modification, while the original system files in Volume 2 can be freely modified for experimentation. The copying mechanism enables risk-free adaptability by having a restorable backup available.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS20160217289A1System and method for controlling hard drive data change

Publication Date: 2016.07.28 CENTURION HLDG I

AI summary

A system for controlling hard drive data change is disclosed which comprises a hard drive having a first volume and a second volume, the first volume for storing data of a first type, the second volume for storing data of a second type, the hard drive being connected to a computer system which restarts the hard drive and an application for running on the computer system for determining whether data of the second type is attempting to change data of the first type to store data of the second type in the second volume, for determining whether data of the second type has been stored in the second volume, and for erasing data of the second type that has been stored in the second volume when the hard drive is restarted by the computer system.