Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for real-time secure file deletion

US5991778A · kind A · utility

57Cited by
7References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 1997
Grant dateNov 23, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 30, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S707/99956
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided that enhance file system calls to a file system structure of an operating system. In particular, file system calls can be enhanced to provide real-time secure file deletion on an ongoing basis. A file system call that is intended to perform a function with respect to data stored on a storage device is intercepted. It is then determined whether the file system call is of a type that should be processed. If not, the original file system call is passed on through the file system. If the file system call should be processed, supplemental processing is performed to enhance the original file system call and the file system call is transparently returned to the calling system application. In embodiment, real-time secure file deletion is implemented using a vendor supplied driver (VSD) executing within the installable file system (IFS) of WINDOWS 95.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.