Computer software encryption apparatus

Claim 2

In a computer system having a fixed data storage medium, a removable data storage medium and a buffer area for communicating with said fixed data storage medium and said removable data storage medium, a data security system comprising: a selectively invocable nonencrypting operating routine for controlling said removable data storage medium; a selectively invocable encrypting operating routine for controlling said removable data storage medium; a power-on self-test routine for automatically enabling said encrypting operating routine and disabling said nonencrypting operating routine upon power up of said computer system; a security means invoked by said encrypting operating routine and communicating with said buffer area for automatically intercepting and encrypting data flowing from said buffer area to said removable data storage medium for storage on said removable data storage medium in an encrypted state and for intercepting and decrypting data flowing from said removable data storage medium to said buffer area without intercepting and encrypting data flowing from said buffer area to said fixed data storage medium; and a means for testing user input requesting encryption to be disabled and responding to said user input by enabling said nonencrypting operating routine and disabling said encrypting operating routine.

Claim 3

The data security system of claim 1 wherein said computer system includes nonvolatile program means for providing instructions whereby data may be transferred between said removable data storage medium and said buffer area and wherein said security means communicates with said nonvolatile program means.

Claim 4

The data security system of claim 2 wherein said security means includes encryption program means having means for intercepting control from said nonvolatile program means.

Claim 5

The data security system of claim 2 wherein said security means includes encryption program means having means for intercepting control from said nonvolatile program means to effect encryption and having means for thereafter returning control to said nonvolatile program means.

Claim 6

The data security system of claim 1 wherein said security means is stored at least in part in nonvolatile memory.

Claim 7

The data security system of claim 1 wherein said computer system includes nonvolatile program means for providing instructions whereby data may be transferred between said removable data storage medium and said buffer area and wherein said security means includes decryption program means having means for intercepting control from said nonvolatile program means.

Claim 8

The data security system of claim 1 wherein said security means includes decryption program means having means for intercepting control from said nonvolatile program means to effect decryption following the transfer of data from said data storage medium to said buffer area.

Claim 9

In a computer system having a processor means for operating on data comprising arrangements of binary digits, means for implementing a power-on routine for causing said processor to scan a predetermined range of memory location addresses for instructions after power-on, means for enabling said processor means to communicate with data storage media comprising program means for reading and writing data to a fixed data storage medium and to a removable data storage medium, a data security system comprising: security program means disposed within said predetermined range of memory location addresses and providing instructions for causing said processor means to automatically alter said program means for reading and writing during said power-on routine; said security program means causing data communicated between at least one of said fixed and removable data storage media and said processor means to be altered such that said data stored on said one of said data storage media is represented using a different arrangement of binary digits than is used when said data is operated upon by said processor; said security program means further including means for testing user input requesting the disabling of security and for responding to said user input by causing data communicated between at least one of said fixed and removable data storage media and said processor means to be communicated without alteration, such that said data stored on said one of said data storage media is represented using the same arrangement, of binary digits as is used when said data is operated upon by said processor.

Claim 10

In a computer system having a processor means for operating on data comprising arrangements of binary digits, means for implementing a power-on routine for causing said processor to scan a predetermined range of memory location addresses for instructions after power-on, means for enabling said processor means to communicate with data storage media comprising program means for reading and writing data to a fixed data storage medium and to a removable data storage medium, a data security system comprising: security program means disposed within said predetermined range of memory location addresses and providing instructions for causing said processor means to automatically alter said program means for reading and writing during said power-on routine; said security program means causing data communicated between at least one of said fixed and removable data storage media and said processor means to be altered such that said data stored on said one of said data storage media is represented using a different arrangement of binary digits than is used when said data is operated upon by said processor; said security program means further including means for testing user input requesting the disabling of security and for responding to said user input by causing data communicated between at least one of said fixed and removable data storage media and said processor means to be communicated without alteration, such that said data stored on said one of said data storage media is represented using the same arrangement, of binary digits as is used when said data is operated upon by said processor.

Claim 11

The data security system of claim 8 wherein said security program is stored at least in part in nonvolatile memory.

Claim 12

The data security system of claim 8 wherein said security program is stored at least in part in nonvolatile memory in which is also stored at least a portion of said instructions.

Claim 13

The data security system of claim 8 wherein said security program includes means for altering said data by bitwise rotation.

Claim 14

The data security system of claim 8 wherein said power-on routine comprises at least one computer self-test routine.

Claim 15

The data security system of claim 8 wherein said security program causes said processor means to alter said program means for reading and writing at a time during said power-on routine before access to said computer system by external human input may be effected.