Storage device authentication

Abstract

Systems and methods authenticate storage devices. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for authenticating a storage device. According to the method, a manifest that identifies a destination is receive. A transfer station reads a digital signature from the storage device. The digital signature is validated and, based on the validation of the digital signature, a transfer of one or more files from the storage device via the transfer station is authorized to the destination identified in the manifest.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for authenticating a storage device, comprising:
 receiving, from a sender, a manifest, the manifest identifying a destination; 
 validating a format of the manifest; 
 transmitting, to the sender, a device identifier that identifies the storage device; 
 receiving the storage device as a package physically transported from the sender, wherein the storage device is a portable physical device configured to store data, and the storage device has a digital signature stored thereon; 
 reading from the storage device, via a transfer station, the digital signature stored on the storage device; 
 validating the digital signature; 
 retrieving the manifest based on the device identifier; and 
 authorizing, based on the validation of the digital signature, a transfer of one or more files from the storage device, via the transfer station, to the destination identified in the manifest. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the manifest comprises a text file. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the destination comprises a storage location of an account of the sender. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the transfer station comprises a computer that includes the storage location. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the transfer station comprises a computer that does not include the storage location. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the destination comprises a storage location of a storage server that is external to the transfer station. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the destination is a storage location available over a network. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the manifest further comprises instructions specifying a directory of the storage location for transferring the one or more files. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transferring, when the digital signature is valid, the one or more files from the storage device via the transfer station to the destination. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the storage device further has the device identifier stored thereon. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 reading the device identifier from the storage device. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the storage device further has an identifier of the sender stored thereon. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the device identifier and the digital signature are stored on the storage device as a signature file. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein validating the digital signature comprises sending the digital signature to an external service. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the external service uses a secret key of the sender. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the external service uses a secret key of a recipient of the storage device.