Apparatus and method for securing data on a portable storage device

A method for accessing a secure user area of a portable storage device, the method comprising:nperforming, by a portable storage device that has a storage medium including a clear user area and a secure user area, wherein the portable storage device is operative to allow access to the clear user area without requiring a user password and to allow access to the secure user area only upon receiving the user password:nreceiving the user password from a host device in communication with the portable storage device; andperforming at least one of (a) and (b):n(a) receiving data from the host device, performing on-the-fly encryption of the data, and storing the encrypted data in the secure user area; and(b) reading encrypted data from the secure user area, performing on-the-fly decryption of the encrypted data, and sending the decrypted data to the host device;wherein the portable storage device stores a key used for at least one of on-the-fly encryption and on-the-fly decryption, and wherein the key is encrypted.

A storage device comprising:nan interface to a host device; anda storage medium including a clear user area and a secure user area;wherein the storage device is operative to allow access to the clear user area without requiring a user password and to allow access to the secure user area only upon receiving the user password; andwherein the storage device is further operative to:nreceive the user password from the host device via the interface; andperform at least one of (a) and (b):n(a) receive data from the host device, perform on-the-fly encryption of the data, and store the encrypted data in the secure user area; and(b) read encrypted data from the secure user area, perform on-the-fly decryption of the encrypted data, and send the decrypted data to the host device;wherein the storage device stores a key used for at least one of on-the-fly encryption and on-the-fly decryption, and wherein the key is encrypted.

A method for accessing a secure user area of a portable storage device, the method comprising:nperforming, by a portable storage device that has a storage medium including a clear user area and a secure user area, wherein the portable storage device is operative to allow access to the clear user area without requiring a user password and to allow access to the secure user area only upon receiving the user password:nreceiving the user password from a host device in communication with the portable storage device; andperforming at least one of (a) and (b):n(a) receiving data from the host device, performing on-the-fly encryption of the data, and storing the encrypted data in the secure user area; and(b) reading encrypted data from the secure user area, performing on-the-fly decryption of the encrypted data, and sending the decrypted data to the host device;wherein the portable storage device stores a key used for at least one of on-the-fly encryption and on-the-fly decryption, and wherein the portable storage device is operative to access the secure user area by offsetting a logical address received from the host device by an offset parameter before transforming the logical address to a physical address.

A storage device comprising:nan interface to a host device; anda storage medium including a clear user area and a secure user area;wherein the storage device is operative to allow access to the clear user area without requiring a user password and to allow access to the secure user area only upon receiving the user password; andwherein the storage device is further operative to:nreceive the user password from the host device via the interface; andperform at least one of (a) and (b):n(a) receive data from the host device, perform on-the-fly encryption of the data, and store the encrypted data in the secure user area; and(b) read encrypted data from the secure user area, perform on-the-fly decryption of the encrypted data, and send the decrypted data to the host device;wherein the storage device stores a key used for at least one of on-the-fly encryption and on-the-fly decryption, and wherein the storage device is operative to access the secure user area by offsetting a logical address received from the host device by an offset parameter before transforming the logical address to a physical address.