Method and apparatus for protecting a password of a computer having a non-volatile memory

摘要

A method for protecting a password of a computer having a non-volatile memory is disclosed. A password is stored in a non-volatile memory of a computer. The computer is then transitioned to a power saving state. In response to a detection of an unauthorized access to the non-volatile memory during the power saving state transition, a password input is requested from a user. The computer returns to a power-on state from the power saving state when there is a success in authentication of the input password.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
storing a password in a non-volatile memory of a computer; transitioning said computer to a power saving state; determining whether a transition source is in a S3 state or in a S34 state in response to detecting an unauthorized access when said non-volatile memory is electrically disconnected from said computer, wherein said S3 state is a suspend state in which an operating system of the computer saves system contexts to a volatile memory of said computer and stops power supplies within the computer that are unnecessary for memory retention of said volatile memory, and said S34 state is a state in which said operating system transitions said computer into said S3 state and a BIOS of said computer thereafter transitions said power saving state from said S3 state to an S4 state, a hibernation state wherein contents of said volatile memory are stored into said non-volatile memory and power of said computer is turned off determining whether a transition source is in a S3 state or in a S34 state; forcing said computer to shut down in response to a determination that said transition source is said S3 state, forcing said computer to shut down; requesting a password input from a user in response to a determination that said transition source is said S34 state, requesting a password input from a user; returning to a power-on state from said power saving state in response to a success in authentication of said input password.