Storage device authentication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9270683-B2
Application number	US-45361409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2009
Priority date	May 15, 2009
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods authenticate storage devices. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for authenticating a storage device. According to the method, a manifest that identifies a destination is receive. A transfer station reads a digital signature from the storage device. The digital signature is validated and, based on the validation of the digital signature, a transfer of one or more files from the storage device via the transfer station is authorized to the destination identified in the manifest.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for authenticating a storage device, comprising:
receiving, from a sender, a manifest, the manifest identifying a destination;
validating a format of the manifest;
transmitting, to the sender, a device identifier that identifies the storage device;
receiving the storage device as a package physically transported from the sender, wherein the storage device is a portable physical device configured to store data, and the storage device has a digital signature stored thereon;
reading from the storage device, via a transfer station, the digital signature stored on the storage device;
validating the digital signature;
retrieving the manifest based on the device identifier; and
authorizing, based on the validation of the digital signature, a transfer of one or more files from the storage device, via the transfer station, to the destination identified in the manifest.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the manifest comprises a text file.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the destination comprises a storage location of an account of the sender.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the transfer station comprises a computer that includes the storage location.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the transfer station comprises a computer that does not include the storage location.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the destination comprises a storage location of a storage server that is external to the transfer station.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the destination is a storage location available over a network.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the manifest further comprises instructions specifying a directory of the storage location for transferring the one or more files.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transferring, when the digital signature is valid, the one or more files from the storage device via the transfer station to the destination.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storage device further has the device identifier stored thereon.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
reading the device identifier from the storage device.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the storage device further has an identifier of the sender stored thereon.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the device identifier and the digital signature are stored on the storage device as a signature file.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein validating the digital signature comprises sending the digital signature to an external service.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the external service uses a secret key of the sender.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the external service uses a secret key of a recipient of the storage device.

Assignees

• Coughlin Chesley B
• Wagner Eric M
• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Coughlin Chesley B
• Wagner Eric M

Classifications

• 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

• H04L63/12 Primary

  Applying verification of the received information (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32) · CPC title

• G06F2221/2129

  Authenticate client device independently of the user · CPC title

• H04L9/3247

  involving digital signatures · CPC title

• G06F21/606

  by securing the transmission between two devices or processes · CPC title