Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-01
2001-04-17
Lefkowitz, Edward (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S568400, C340S571000, C340S572200, C380S001000, C380S029000, C713S152000, C713S152000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06218941
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to computer systems and portable computer system and more particularly, to systems for protecting such computer systems from theft or misuse.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
Personal computer systems are well known in the art. Personal computer systems have attained widespread use for providing computer power to many segments of today's modern society. Personal computers can typically be defined as a desktop, floor standing, or portable microcomputer. Examples of such personal computer systems are IBM's PC series and IBM's Thinkpad Series.
Theft of personal computers and personal computer components is becoming a major industry problem. As a result, there has been an ever increasing need to provide security for computer systems against the unauthorized removal of components and theft thereof. Since modern computer systems and components are generally more compact and more easily transportable, it is even more difficult to provide security measures that prevent unauthorized removal or theft thereof.
In addition, today, computer networks are employed to provide efficient computing capabilities throughout a large work area. Existing computer networks generally include a number of remotely located computer systems coupled via a data link to a server system or a central processing center. The wide dissemination of such systems at remote locations has made the computer systems and computer components an even more accessible target for computer thieves.
Furthermore industry standardization has increased the exchangeability or reusability of components between various types of computer systems from various vendors. The smaller form factor of components such as CPUs, memory, and DASD are popular targets, given their portability and high value. A thief could upgrade a low performance and inexpensive PC with stolen parts to create a high performance and expensive machine.
A number of methods have been developed for guarding against the unauthorized removal of computer systems. One such method is the use of Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) tags are widely used in commercial markets for everything from clothing to Compact Disks. When an item with an EAS tag is carried through a portal, the portal sounds an audible alarm to notify security of a tamper event. The EAS tags are attached or embedded in computer systems to provide a notification of when an asset is removed.
EAS is an excellent technology for retail applications, however it is less effective for protecting assets of a corporation. Employees may have opportunities to defeat the technology such as removing the tags, passing components out though a mail service, or reusing parts within the building.
A number of other methods have been developed for guarding against the unauthorized removal of computer systems. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/965,140 entitled “Computer System for Sending an Alert Signal Over a Network When A Cover of Said System Has Been Opened” and assigned to the assignee of the present invention discloses a mechanism to notify a system administrator within a network (typically an Ethernet network) when the cover of the computer system is removed through the use of a timestamp.
There are other methods that provide local protection (non-network based) to detect and prevent unauthorized access to the data stored in a computer system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,156, owned by the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a personal computer system having security features enabling control over access to data retained in such a system. The personal computer system has a normally closed enclosure and at least one erasable memory element for receiving and storing a privileged access password (PAP). The PAP is designed to provide protection for the system owner by protecting the initial program load (IPL) device boot list, access to a password utility. The system further includes at least one tamper detection switch mounted within the enclosure and operatively connected with the memory element for detecting opening of the enclosure.
In another example, in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. RP 998018, entitled “System for Detecting Tamper Events and Capturing The Time Of Their Occurrence” and assigned to the assignee of the present application, and filed on even date herewith describes a system for detecting and storing a time of a tamper event.
Although the above-identified systems work effectively for their stated purposes, the above-described systems do not effectively address authorized tamper event because in certain instances it is not desirable to immediately disable the computer system when an authorized tamper event occurs. For example, it may not be desirable to disable the computer every time a tamper event such as opening the cover of the computer system occurs (i.e., when the computer system is serviced). As another example, if a computer system is provided on a loaner basis it may be desirable to disable the computer system only after some predetermined time period has elapsed. As a final example, the computer system may be part of a network and it may be desirable to allow the computer to be removed from the network for a predetermined time period (i.e., 24 hours or less) before disabling the computer system.
In all of the above-identified examples as well as other similar situations it would be desirable to provide the facility to allow for the computer system to continue to operate after an authorized tamper event has occurred. It is therefore desirable to provide a computer system that provides a mechanism to allow for authorized tamper events for computer systems. The mechanism should operate in conjunction with tamper detection mechanisms that are standard in many personal computer systems. The mechanism must be software and configuration independent, to protect against a thief disabling or altering the mechanism. The present invention addresses such a need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A system and method for monitoring tamper events in a computer system in accordance with the present invention is disclosed. The system comprises a detector means for detecting at least one tamper event and for providing an indication when the tamper event has occurred for longer than a predetermined time period. The system also includes an adapter means coupled to the detector means for receiving the indication and for disabling the computer system.
The present invention is directed to a computer system, which has the ability to functionally determine if a tamper event is authorized and therefore allows the computer to operate after such an event. In a preferred embodiment, the tamper event could be as simple as a toggle switch being activated when the cover of the personal computer is removed.
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Cromer Daryl C.
Locker Howard
Steinmetz Michael J.
Ward James P.
Goins Davetta W.
Grosser George E.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Lefkowitz Edward
Sawyer, Jr. Joseph A.
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