An existing
video game system is modified to include additional communication and storage capability via a modem and hard disk drive. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the primary
system security features are incorporated into a
video game system expansion device having a hard disk drive. The
security system does not rely on the relatively insecure
video game system. The present exemplary embodiment focuses security control in a disk drive /
mass media controlling engine which is physically disposed within the expansion device housing as close as possible to the hard disk drive and the downloaded video games and other data it is designed to protect. Security features are incorporated into, for example, a disk drive controlling
processing engine to provide security features which extend far beyond simplistic
password systems which have heretofore been utilized in conjunction with disk drive controllers. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
disk controller also incorporates an encrypting engine which encrypts in accordance with a highly secure encrypting
algorithm. A further level of security is provided in the illustrative embodiments by partitioning the hard drive into various partitions whose security /
accessibility is tightly controlled. Each application program, e.g., a video game, has a predetermined number of private partitions, including a read only encrypted partition.