Secure USB Option Module
A hardware + firmware firewall enabling USB port control and management for enterprise Dell systems. Features hardware-level USB packet monitoring to prevent HID attacks and provide granular USB device management for IT administrators.
Overview
The Secure USB Option Module is a hardware/software solution designed to monitor USB packets at the hardware level and prevent HID attacks. It also enables enterprise IT administrators to have granular control over USB device interactions at the system level.
It was designed to fit into Dell Optiplex desktop platforms using Dell’s proprietary Option-module architecture.
Key Contributions
Independently designed and developed a PCB POC to validate (idea to gerberout):
- System Architecture — block diagrams, placement study, part selection and vendor communication
- Schematic capture and PCB layout using Cadence OrCAD and Allegro — 6-layer board, high-speed USB 2.0, 45mm × 32mm board size
Patents
This work resulted in two U.S. patent applications:
Both are currently pending.
Note: Due to confidentiality, actual images from work cannot be shared. The image shown is a close approximation of the module we designed.