JPH0594225A - Personal computer incorporated with security function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize a security function against a data robbery by providing a computer main body with a detachable nonvolatile storage device and preventing the computer from being actuated without the device. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 21 drives a BIOS(basic input/output control system) stored in a ROM 23 to check whether or not the nonvolatile storage device such as an IC card 13 is mounted, and the computer is not driven unless the mounting is confirmed. When the check is satisfied, the computer is driven and the contents of the IC card 13 are used for data access to a mass-storage device(HDD) 29, etc. Namely, when data are transferred to the HDD 29, the data are ciphered by using the contents previously stored on the IC card 13 as a key and when data are read out, the data are deciphered by using the contents of the IC card 13 as a key. The IC card 13 is easily mounted and demounted through a connector 12 as an interface, so the security is easily provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a personal computer having a security function having a mechanism for attaching and detaching a nonvolatile memory device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of personal computers, laptops, which are small in size, light in weight, convenient to carry, and book-type have become popular in place of conventional desktops. Further, in recent years, many personal computers of this kind have been further modularized, and the main body, keyboard, display, hard disk, etc. can be detached from the system. Currently, relatively small computers such as this type of personal computer lack the data security measures.

[0003]

As mentioned above, especially in the field of personal computers, laptop type,
Book type and compact, further modularization,
The risk of theft of personal computers or the components themselves is increasing. In addition, since a mass storage device (HDD) is connected to the inside of the personal computer in a module form, if the device is stolen, there is a possibility that the loss of data is greater than the loss of the main body.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a personal computer having a built-in security function against data theft.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a computer main body is provided with a detachable non-volatile storage device, and when a system is initialized, a BIOS-ROM is accessed to load the non-volatile memory into the computer main body. It is characterized by controlling whether or not to start by checking. The non-volatile memory is composed of an IC card,
The connector allows it to be attached to and detached from the computer. In addition, by using the data stored in advance in the non-volatile memory to encrypt the data in the other non-volatile storage device built into the computer, the damage can be minimized even if the data is stolen. You can keep it to the limit.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a nonvolatile non-volatile storage device such as a removable IC card is provided in the computer body so that the computer itself will not start up if this storage device does not exist. Further, by encrypting the data in the internal storage device such as the HDD using the data stored in the storage device as a key, the data cannot be decrypted even if the computer is activated by an illegal means. The IC card used here is beginning to spread, and it is possible to suppress the cost increase of the computer. Also, since the computer will not start if there is no storage device, the effect of theft prevention is also obtained.
Furthermore, even if it is stolen, it has the effect of preventing unauthorized data leakage.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing the external appearance of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 11 is a computer main body,
It includes all the constituents necessary for a personal computer such as a CPU and main memory. Reference numeral 12 is an interface, which is a connector (slot) or the like for connecting a nonvolatile memory 3 described later. Reference numeral 13 is a non-volatile memory, which is composed of an easily removable memory element such as an IC card.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the personal computer shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 21 is a microprocessor and system RAM 22.
In accordance with an operating system and application programs stored in the computer, and a BIOS (basic input / output control system) program stored in the ROM 23, various arithmetic controls or input / output devices connected to the system are controlled.

Reference numeral 24 denotes a boot ROM, which loads a program from a boot memory such as a floppy disk or a hard disk, which will be described later, and prepares for execution at the time of initialization.

25 is a real time clock (RTC),
Bus control logic, interrupt controller (P
IC) etc. and other CPU peripheral LSI. Reference numeral 26-
Each of the peripheral controllers 29 is a commercially available LSI that controls a keyboard (KB), a display (DISP), a floppy disk (FD), a hard disk (HD), etc. to be connected. Reference numeral 12 denotes an extended memory interface, which is the interface 1 of FIG.
Equivalent to 2. An IC card 13 in which a nonvolatile memory element, which is the feature of the present invention, is mounted is connected via the extended memory interface 12. Reference numeral 30 is a system bus to which the above-mentioned modules are commonly connected.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention, and the steps for starting the computer are shown. Specifically, it is programmed in a part of the BIOS program stored in the ROM 23 shown in FIG.
In the figure, reference numeral S1 is a step for instructing activation, which corresponds to turning on a power switch or the like. Reference numeral S2 is a step for executing the security check, which is I shown in FIG.
Check whether the C card 13 is loaded. Reference numeral S3 is a step that is executed when the security check is NG (no IC card), and is stopped by displaying a message such as start failure. Reference numeral S4 is a step that is executed when the security check is OK (with an IC card), and here, a normal activation operation process is executed.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. When the computer is started, the CPU 21
First, the BIOS program stored in the ROM 23 is driven to check whether or not the IC card 13 in FIG. 1 is loaded. If the existence is not confirmed here, a message is displayed and the computer does not start. If this check is passed, the computer will start up, but H
For data access to the DD 29, etc., the IC card 1 in FIG.
Use the contents of 3. That is, when the data is transferred to the HDD 29, the data stored in the IC card 13 is used as a key to encrypt the data, and when the data is read, the IC card 1 is used.
Data is decrypted using the contents of 3 as a key. Since the IC card can be easily attached and detached via the connector 12, security can be easily realized.

If not only the encryption key but also the encryption / decryption software is stored in the IC card 13, the data can be decrypted more than when the same software is stored in the computer. Since it becomes difficult, the security effect can be further enhanced.

All the IC cards 13 may have a RAM configuration and can be arbitrarily set. However, if the check portion at the time of start-up is constituted by the ROM and each separate content is stored and the content check is performed at the time of start-up, the operator can check It can also serve as a validity check. Also, if you consider only data security,
You can omit the check at startup. This allows the IC card to be attached and detached without turning off the power of the computer.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, the IC
The computer will not start unless the presence of the card is confirmed, which has the effect of deterring theft. In addition, even in the event of theft, it is possible to obtain the effect of preventing unauthorized data leakage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation processing procedure of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Computer main body, 12 ... Interface, 1
3, 32 ... Non-volatile memory (IC card), 21 ... Microprocessor (CPU), 22 ... System RAM, 2
3 ... ROM, 29 ... Hard disk controller (HD
C).

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A computer body, a mechanism for attaching and detaching a non-volatile storage device provided in the computer body, a non-volatile storage device having an interface detachably attached to the detachment mechanism, and a predetermined non-volatile memory for the detachment mechanism. B having a processing routine for determining whether or not the device is mounted
A personal computer with a built-in security function, characterized by comprising an IOS-ROM. 2. The personal computer with a built-in security function according to claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory is composed of an IC card, and is removable from the computer main body through a connector. 3. The security function according to claim 1, wherein data stored in another non-volatile storage device in the computer is encrypted by using data stored in advance in the non-volatile memory. Personal computer.