Patent · US Expired

System for detecting tamper events and capturing the time of their occurrence

US6357007B1 · kind B1 · utility

28Cited by
7References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 1, 1998
Grant dateMar 12, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 1, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L2463/121
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system for monitoring tamper events in a computer system is disclosed. The computer system is on a network. The system comprises a tamper real time clock (RTC) means which receives at least one tamper event signal from the computer system. The tamper RTC means includes a timer for indicating the time of a tamper event and a management device for receiving the at least one tamper event signal. The management device issues a command to the tamper RTC means to obtain the time of the at least one tamper event. The management device also generates a network packet which includes the time of the tamper event to a system administrator of the network. The present invention in a preferred embodiment is directed to a computer system which has the ability to functionally detect and store the time of a tamper event. A tamper real time clock (RTC) circuit is operatively connected with logic to store the date and time of an event as it occurs. In a preferred embodiment, the tamper event could be as simple as a toggle switch being activated when a cover on the computer system is removed. The computer system could also send network alerts when the cover is removed.

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