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.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
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.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
May 15, 2009
February 23, 2016
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