garethsk
Premium
join:2002-08-11
Knoxville, TN
clubs: 
| [Notebooks] Security Options for Portable Computers
Hey,
I recently purchased my first brand new laptop, and I'm looking at some ideas of how to secure my laptop against data access if it's gets stolen.
Obviously there is the usual BIOS password, boot password, etc, but what other precautions can I take? These seem to be easily gotten around, and are more of a hinderance to the average thief.
What experiences have people had with data encryption?
Maybe if we can get enough information together, we can add a FAQ entry for this?
Thanks in advance.
Gareth |
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Boricua65
join:2002-01-26
Puerto Rico | Most laptops now allow hard drive passwords. The hard drive is rendered useless without the password. |
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Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ
clubs:
| reply to garethsk
I've never really tried hard drive encryption, but it does seem fairly straightforward to use the windows encrypting filesystem.
I'm not sure what's in place to prevent someone from logging on, and then using your windows credentials to access that, but I've never really used it, so I couldn't tell you.
Most new laptops don't suffer from the same CMOS/jumper swap password reset trick that desktop mobos do, although some do have publicly-available override passwords that render the whole thing useless. It's worth it to use those in conjunction with a windows password.
I always use one of those cables when traveling to anchor my laptop to a desk, chair, (piece of furniture), so it's a little more difficult to walk off with it. I used to be paranoid, but I've never had any problems.
--
"Some people never see the light till it shines thru bullet holes." -Bruce Cockburn
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Defiance82
Computer Elite
Premium
join:2002-09-11
Reeds Spring, MO
clubs: | reply to garethsk
I use the harddrive password via the bios. Also can't someone just yank the cable right out the back of a laptop that's locked to a table? |
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insomx
Premium
join:2003-01-26
Canada | I always wondered that too. If you pull, it's coming out I bet. |
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Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ
clubs:
| said by insomx  :I always wondered that too. If you pull, it's coming out I bet. It's coming out, but it's taking a sizable chunk of the laptop along for the ride along with it.  It's a deterrent.
For the same token, you could simply just cut the metal cable, it's not the most tough/thick cord I've ever seen.
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"Some people never see the light till it shines thru bullet holes." -Bruce Cockburn
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Bobcat
Premium
join:2001-02-04
Bedminster, NJ | reply to garethsk
Anyone here use LoJack for Laptops? |
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dvandervelde
Premium
join:2003-02-11
Abbotsford, BC
clubs:
| reply to Nerdtalker
said by Nerdtalker :For the same token, you could simply just cut the metal cable, it's not the most tough/thick cord I've ever seen. I have tried it before, just for interest. A good pair of wire-snips will snap those cords with little effort.
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"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliott |
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