Storage Device Secure Data Discarding via Safety Pin Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current storage systems face challenges in securely discarding data, as users cannot verify if their data has been properly erased, leading to difficulties in providing optimal security functions.
Innovation Solution
A storage device equipped with a safety pin device that stores encrypted information using different keys for users, allowing the security circuitry to decrypt and generate a data encryption key, and a nonvolatile memory to store data encrypted with this key, enabling users to verify if the storage device has been properly discarded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If data is discarded by deleting encryption keys, then storage space is recovered, but users cannot verify if data is securely erased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing encrypted verification information in the safety pin device before data discarding occurs. When data needs to be discarded, the verification information is already available, allowing immediate and verifiable confirmation that data has been securely erased without requiring additional time-consuming verification processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety pin device serves as an intermediary between the user and the storage device. It holds encrypted information that mediates the verification process, allowing users to confirm data discarding without directly accessing the storage device's internal state. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing a trusted third-party verification channel.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple users share a storage device, then resource utilization improves, but key management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the key management system by separating verification information into individual encrypted records stored in the safety pin device. Each user's verification information is independently encrypted and stored, allowing multiple users to access the storage device with their own separate key pairs without interfering with each other's security. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex centralized key management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by storing encrypted verification information in the safety pin device that corresponds to each user's data. Instead of managing multiple complex keys in the storage device itself, the system creates and stores simplified encrypted copies of verification data in the removable safety pin, reducing key management complexity while maintaining multi-user functionality.
3Ease of operation
If encryption keys are stored in the storage device, then data access is convenient, but security risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts critical security verification information from the main storage device and places it in a separate removable safety pin device. This extraction removes the vulnerability of having all security-critical data stored in one location, while still maintaining convenient access by allowing the safety pin to be easily attached and detached. The verification information is taken out of the potentially compromised storage device environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety pin device acts as an intermediary that holds encrypted verification information separately from both the user's data and the storage device's internal keys. This intermediary structure allows data access to remain convenient (as the safety pin can be easily connected) while reducing security vulnerability (as the verification information is isolated in a separate, user-controlled component that can be removed).
Data Source
AI summary
A storage device providing a function of securely discarding data and an operating method of the storage device are provided. The storage device includes a safety pin device removably mounted on the storage device, the safety pin device configured to store first encrypted information and second encrypted information, the first encrypted information encrypted using a first key associated with a first user, and the second encrypted information encrypted using a second key associated with a second user, security circuitry configured to, receive the first encrypted information from the safety pin device, decrypt the first encrypted information, and generate a data encryption key based on results of the decrypting the first encrypted information, and a nonvolatile memory configured to store data encrypted with the data encryption key.