Method to protect information on a computer storage device

摘要

A method, using a secret key, to protect information in a storage disk of a computer, where the secret key is derived from a password entered into the computer by an authorized user. The method begins by applying a length-increasing pseudorandom function to the secret key and an index to generate a pseudorandom bit string having a length that is a function of the size of a sector of the storage disk. The sector is associated or otherwise identified by the index used by the pseudorandom function to generate the pseudorandom bit string. The pseudorandom bit string is then used to encrypt and decrypt data accesses to and from the sector.