Session-level-restriction for universal serial bus storage devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016125205-A1
Application number	US-201414528655-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 30, 2014
Priority date	Oct 30, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method of implementing SLR for a USB device of an information handling system is disclosed herein. An OS may load a disk driver stack and a volume driver stack for the USB device, where the USB device is being enumerated by a first driver. The OS may load a second driver on the disk driver stack. The OS may also load second driver on the volume driver stack. The OS may restrict an access to the USB device at the second driver as loaded on the disk driver stack. Furthermore, the OS may restrict an access to a volume of the USB device at the second driver as loaded on the volume driver stack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
by an operating system:
loading a disk driver stack and a volume driver stack for a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device, the USB device being enumerated by a first driver;
loading a second driver on the disk driver stack;
loading the second driver on the volume driver stack;
restricting an access to the USB device at the second driver as loaded on the disk driver stack; and
restricting an access to a volume of the USB device at the second driver as loaded on the volume driver stack.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the USB device is associated with at least two driver stacks.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the USB device is a storage device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein restricting the access to the USB device comprises limiting the access to a user session.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein restricting the access to the volume of the USB device comprises limiting the access to a user session.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein restricting the access to the USB device at the second driver comprises:
by the operating system:
determining whether the first driver that enumerates the USB device is a predetermined third-party virtual BUS driver;
determining whether a session-level-restriction (SLR) is enabled for the disk driver stack; and
if the first driver substantially matches the pre-determined third-party virtual BUS driver and the SLR is enabled for the disk driver stack, restricting the access to the USB device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein restricting the access to the volume of the USB device at the second driver comprises:
by the operating system:
retrieving a disk device object of the disk driver stack for the USB device, the disk device object being associated with the volume of the USB device;
determining whether the disk device object is enumerated by the first driver;
determining whether a session-level-restriction (SLR) is enabled for the disk driver stack; and
if the disk device object is enumerated by the first driver and the SLR is enabled for the disk driver stack, restricting the access to the volume of the USB device.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein restricting the access to the volume of the USB device at the second driver comprises:
by the operating system:
retrieving a password to access the volume of the USB device, wherein the volume is hidden;
determining whether the retrieved password matches a stored password, the stored password being associated with the hidden volume of the USB device;
if the retrieved password matches the stored password, then:
establishing the hidden volume as a virtual volume; and
providing the access to the virtual volume of the USB device; and
if the retrieved password does not match the stored password, restricting the access to the hidden volume of the USB device.

10 . One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic that is operable when executed to:
by an operating system:
loading a disk driver stack and a volume driver stack for a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device, the USB device being enumerated by a first driver;
loading a second driver on the disk driver stack;
loading the second driver on the volume driver stack;
restricting an access to the USB device at the second driver as loaded on the disk driver stack; and
restricting an access to a volume of the USB device at the second driver as loaded on the volume driver stack.

11 . The media of claim 10 , wherein the USB device is associated with at least two driver stacks.

12 . The media of claim 10 , wherein the USB device is a storage device.

13 . The media of claim 10 , wherein restricting the access to the USB device at the second driver comprises:
by the operating system:
determining whether the first driver that enumerates the USB device is a pre-determined third-party virtual BUS driver;
determining whether a session-level-restriction (SLR) is enabled for the disk driver stack; and
if the first driver substantially matches the pre-determined third-party virtual BUS driver and the SLR is enabled for the disk driver stack, restricting the access to the USB device.

14 . The media of claim 10 , wherein restricting the access to the volume of the USB device at the second driver comprises:
by the operating system:
retrieving a disk device object of the disk driver stack for the USB device, the disk device object being associated with the volume of the USB device;
determining whether the disk device object is enumerated by the first driver;
determining whether a session-level-restriction (SLR) is enabled for the disk driver stack; and
if the disk device object is enumerated by the first driver and the SLR is enabled for the disk driver stack, restricting the access to the volume of the USB device.

15 . The media of claim 10 , wherein restricting the access to the volume of the USB device at the second driver comprises:
by the operating system:
retrieving a password to access the volume of the USB device, wherein the volume is hidden;
determining whether the retrieved password matches a stored password, the stored password being associated with the hidden volume of the USB device;
if the retrieved password matches the stored password, then:
establishing the hidden volume as a virtual volume; and
providing the access to the virtual volume of the USB device; and

if the retrieved password does not match the stored password, restricting the access to the hidden volume of the USB device

16 . An information handling system comprising:
one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to:
by an operating system:
loading a disk driver stack and a volume driver stack for a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device, the USB device being enumerated by a first driver;
loading a second driver on the disk driver stack;
loading the second driver on the volume driver stack;
restricting an access to the USB device at the second driver as loaded on the disk driver stack; and
restricting an access to a volume of the USB device at the second driver as loaded on the volume driver stack.

17 . The information handing system of claim 16 , wherein the USB device is a storage device.

18 . The information handling system of claim 16 , wherein restricting the access to the USB device at the second driver comprises:
by the operating system:
determining whether the first driver that enumerates the USB device is a predetermined third-party virtual BUS driver;
determining whether a session-level-restriction (SLR) is enabled for the disk driver stack; and
if the first driver substantially matches the predetermined third-party virtual BUS driver and the SLR is enabled for the disk driver stack, restricting the access to the USB device.

19 . The information handling system of claim 16 , wherein restricting the access to the volume of the USB device at the second driver comprises:
by the operating system:
retrieving a disk device object of the disk driver stack for the USB device, the disk device object being associated with the volume of the USB device;
determining whether the disk device object is enumerated by the first driver;
determining whether a session-level-restriction (SLR) is enabled for the disk driver stack; and
if the disk device object is enumerated by the first driver and the SLR is enabled for the disk driver sta

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Vajravel Gokul Thiruchengode

Classifications

• G06F21/78

  to assure secure storage of data (address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00) · CPC title

• G06F13/4072 Primary

  Drivers or receivers (G06F13/4086 takes precedence; for multistate logic circuits H03K19/0002) · CPC title

• G06F13/4095

  in incremental bus architectures, e.g. bus stacks · CPC title

• G06F21/80

  in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors (preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00) · CPC title

• G06F21/85 Primary

  interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices · CPC title