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Increasing Computer Security through Hardware?
Audiostar asks: "I am interested in adding some security to several of my computers, but am unsure as to which product to go with. I would like to use some sort of external security measure, such as a pen drive token or something similar. I had considered custom building a key card and reader to install on all my machines, but once I started thinking about the cost and time of building a card reader for each of my computers it became rather impractical. Does anyone have any suggestions for external locking devices or software? I would prefer something that I could use on both my Windows and Linux machines, but protecting the Windows machines are the top priority. I don't need anything too fancy, just an added layer of protection from the multitude of various people who come in and out of my place of business everyday. I own a 128mb flash disk watch, so possibly using that as a token would be both easy and geek chic. Any suggestions on what to install?"
Use a password to log in. And set your screensaver to activate, with a password, after a short amount of time.
No weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men.-Ronald Reagan
Nobody's compromised any of my machines yet!
"BSD: Free as in speech. Linux: Free as in beer. Windows 10: Free as in herpes." --Man On Pink Corner in #52607549.
Keep your most valued files on your usb key.
"It's the most broken page I've seen all day."
Well if it wasn't broken before, it sure as hell will be now that every bored sysadmin with a Mozilla install is surfing on by to check out how broken it is.
Why not just use a smart card? Assuming that you run windows on your rig, it has built-in support for it.....you're just trying to keep a few simple documents safe, right? Nothing THAT important?
I don't need anything too fancy, just an added layer of protection from the multitude of various people who come in and out of my place of business everyday.
Really fucking big neodynium magnet installed in the door frame of the entrance to your office.
(Shamelessly stolen from Cryptonomicon. I guess Neal Stephenson should have used a bigger magnet.)
Opinions on the Twiddler2 hand-held keyboard?
Don't use the watch. You'll smack it against something, and then you're screwed. Ditto for a generic USB flash drive, unless you're sure it's bulletproof. Get something reliable, or don't get anything. If you want to be sure you're covered, buy three of whatever it is. Keep one handy, one in a fireproof safe/lockbox on the premises, and one at home. If your only hardware key gets hosed, so do you.
Oh, and KISS. You're right; the cardkey isn't practical, and not just because it'd be difficult/expensive to build. It would probably also be something prohibitively difficult to troubleshoot, should you have problems later. Then you have to call a specialist, and hope he's A) cheap and B) can figure out how to solve your custom-built (and therefore, proprietary) hardware problem. You're probably on the right track with small, removable hardware. Just make sure it's also reliable, or it's useless.
Fritz is a secure cryptoprocessor that implements the trusted computing scheme on personal computers. It uses public key cryptography for the processes communicating amongst themselves. So it would always be helpful unless the security measure is broken by an exact match comprosimed Fritz Chip. ( Which would ofcourse need some quantum computing cycles). So we can assume that it cannot be compromized till date. M$ has plans to incorporate Fritz Chip in the next OS,Longhorn.
Senthil
Maybe a good lock for your door? Other than that something that's easy to use, and somewhat less easy to break in case it fails or you lose a key. Who exactly is going to be stealing this data? You could always go out and get one of systems cards that'll fry a hard disk if someone attempts to tamper with it but I think that you're not at that level of data sensitivity. Perhaps nothing more than an encrypted filesystem (easy in windows XP) is needed.
Photos.
People that come in and out of my place of business.
You mean, like, customers??? Are you implying that these customers are unsupervised for a period of time lengthy enough to get into your computer and do something to it, or read some personal files? Maybe you should invest in something larger than a USB device. ThinkGeek doesn't sell what I'm talking about, but you could find it at the local unemployment office. Thats right, I'm talking about hiring an employee!!!
If an employee is beyond your means, then may I suggest a nifty little Windows feature: Ctrl+Alt+Del, then click "Lock Computer".
Now, if you'd like to admit that you're business is being run out of your dorm room, and you only want something "cool" to lock out your buddies in the dorm, then maybe you'd get some better advice. Otherwise, password protect your machine, change it daily if you're really concerned, and don't leave it logged in when you're not in your room.
Check out the Securikey on ThinkGeek. I'm not sure if someone's written Linux drivers for it, but there's your hardware level -- and it's two-factor.
Matthew G P Coe
http://mgpcoe.blogspot.com/
I don't know about the windows part im afraid but for Linux there is pam_usb that works with all XDM/GDM/KDM and other PAM aware login and autentication programs. Its a simple public/private key system with the private key residing on a USB-memory.
This hardware encrypted hard drive might be part of what you're looking for.
My Web Page
Hello,
you may look for PKCS#11 enabled smartcard USB tokens. If you go for this, you can use the token email and disk encryption software, use it for Secure Single Signon and have it as a "bunker" for for you gpg/pgp keys and certificates.
Christian
I'm no MS fan, but essentially, you're looking for hardware authentication, if I read correctly, or some certification that the user is entitled to do what the code is asking to do...
While its _main_ point is not necessarily that, the paladium arch is designed essentially to ensure that..
on a less trenchcoat idea, 2.6 comes w/ a USB root key module, you might wanna check the source if palladium aint up your ally though
-- (appended to the end of comments you post, 120 chars)
Suffice to say, I wasn't game enough to enable it... I can barely remember what I had for lunch yesterday...
click-clack, front and back. I'm not moving this car otherwise.
i downloaded Float's Mobile Agent and noticed that with the bluetooth connection, there is an option to automatically lock the workstation when your phone is out of (bluetooth) range. i haven't used it myself, but it looks kinda handy - the number of times i have remembered to pick up my mobile, but not lock the workstation.
:)
and if you really want to make your pc hardware secure, have you tried padlocking it to the wall?
See if there's any product that lets you use a Bluetooth mobile phone (or PDA) as the key that locks and unlocks your workstation. Then it will secure as you walk away and unlock as you return.
Keep the important stuff on an external HDD, and handcuff it to your wrist.
(Note: this is not meant to be a constructive idea)
Information wants to be free.
Entertainment wants to be paid.
You just want to be cheap.
It works on (copied from my mozilla's about page)
Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i586; en-US; rv:1.5) Gecko/20031007
It's not particularly snazzy, or well sized, but I'm not running at 640x480 either.
So. You were saying?
Audiostar asks: "I am interested in adding some security to several of my computers, but am unsure as to which product to go with...
Er, what sort of security?
A simple bios boot password will prevent the computer-naive from accessing your machine.
GnuPG under Windows and the unix clones will allow you to encrypt/decrypt and digitally sign files.
The unix clones tend to be able to encrypt their entire filesystem by whatever algorythm you want. NTFS claims some sort of filesystem encryption as well, but I'm unfamiliar with the mechanism and thus won't recommend it.
OpenBSD has encrypted swap and tends to be tops on the 'utterly paranoid' scale.
How about you tell us what you are trying to do exactly, and we'll tell you the best solution.
Security is a tradeoff, go too far and you end up being so annoyed with it that you bypass your measures and become less secure. So decide how far you need to go.
I'm, not impressed with hardware security, other than keeping important files on the USB keychain at your side. (And even then you need regular backups kept in a good data safe) Do a web search and you can find information on how to fake fingerprints. You can find keyboard loggers, which a well equipped attacker can modify into a more general logger to simulate your hardware device. (though I doubt you are worth that much effort, and encryption can prevent man in the middle attacks like this if you are)
Personally I would build a network, save all my files to a UNIX (openBSD perhaps) box in a secure area, and mount that disk everytime I was at the machine, and unmount it when I was done.
Don't forget access control lists. If the user you leave the machine logged in as cannot access files you have one less worry. Window has pretty good ACLs if you use them.
You didn't tell us -- are you protecting against vandalism (some clown messing
up the settings, deleting stuff, whatever) or against information theft? The
solution will be completely different.
To protect against vandalism, nothing beats nightly offsite backups, nothing.
To protect against information theft, how about storing the informationg in
question on an external device that you keep on your person? Then when they
go to steal it, it's not there. Hard to beat that.
Cut that out, or I will ship you to Norilsk in a box.
Haha. No, seriously, the concept behind NTFS encryption is great. It keeps keys with login creditials, and they're decrypted with your login password. I forget the algorythm, but it's not some snake oil crap, it's a real, heavy duty encryption thing. Linux could use something like it, it's so amazingly transparent and just works correctly.
The problem, of course, is that administrator has all the keys, and administrator isn't anywhere near protected enough to be allowed that kind of power...a single spyware and all everyone's super secret files are free for the taking.
Basically, NTFS encryption on Windows is about the same concept asking people their names before they board a plane, but doing a really good check on the name they gave, with absolutely no check to see if that's actually their name. They've bolted working security on a system with completely broken authentication. You can only get 'your own' files, but it's rather easy to be someone else, or even the administrator, so it's really goofy.
If corporations are people, aren't stockholders guilty of slavery?
Then you use wafer thin clients that are hotdesked using a smart card.
When you walk away from the machine, grab the smart card and the session "vanishes". When you come back, and reinsert your smart card, the session reappears. And the best part is that it doesn't matter which thin appliance you do this on.
Everything else is tucked safely away in your server room.
Look it all up at Sun's site.
Abit makes a product that sits between the IDE port on your motherboard and the hard drive. It encrypts all of the data on-the-fly and requires a small dongle to be plugged in externally to work. Combine that with a good case lock, and you should be all set.
Lets take a look at NGSCB shall we: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/news/ngs cb.mspx "Strong process isolation. Users can wall off and hide pages of main memory so that each nexus-aware application can be assured that it is not modified or observed by any other application or even the operating system." Once again, relying on a hardware function of a CPU, to cover their ass. "Sealed storage. Information can be stored in such a way that only the application from which data is saved (or a trusted designated application or entity) can open it. With sealed storage, a nexus-aware application or module can mandate that the information be accessible only to itself or to a set of other trusted components that can be identified in a cryptographically secure manner." Do you get this? you use the 'trusted' program, say oooh MS Office TCI, your cannot open or view it, without using that program, and only that program or another that Microsoft designates as 'Trusted' Do you think they will certify open office? or sun office? I think not Locking your data into their formats, and accessible only at THEIR discretion. "Secure path to and from the user. Secure channels allow data to move safely from the keyboard/mouse to nexus-aware applications, and for data to move from nexus-aware applications to a region of the screen." Wow, a 'secure path' means 'You can only view/interact with this data in the manner WE dictate, and any usage we do not EXPLICITY 'permit', by default will be prevented. (no more feeding that DVD out via S-video to your VCR, you think macrovision is a PITA..... RIAA's wet dream. Or how about: "NGSCB is being designed so that a Windows-based PC with the requisite hardware will be able to run different nexuses, although only one nexus at a time will be able to run on a machine. Anyone can write a nexus (licensing issues will be involved and licensing terms have not yet been announced). The user always has the ultimate authority over what nexuses are allowed to run." 'licensing issues' eh? CLOSING STANDARDS And take a look, even MS is trying to pollute TPM 1.2, since NGSCB will be: Q: I have heard that NGSCB will force people to run only Microsoft-approved software. A: This is simply not true. The nexus-aware security chip (the SSC) and other NGSCB features are not involved in the boot process of the operating system or in its decision to load an application that does not use the nexus. Because the nexus is not involved in the boot process, it cannot block an operating system or drivers or any nexus-unaware PC application from running. Only the user decides what nexus-aware applications get to run. [Anyone can write an application to take advantage of new APIs that call to the nexus and related components without notifying Microsoft or getting Microsoft's approval.] Did you catch this? [] ? How can 'anyone' write an application, when the standards and specifications are subject to MS's whim on who and how to license it? "It will be possible, of course, to write applications that require access to nexus-aware services in order to run." In otherwords, Office and all applications we license the use our standards, which will be made nexus-aware (ostensibly to prevent piracy) but will require us to 'call home' in order to use it. What about: Q: Is NGSCB Microsoft's implementation of the TCG or TCPA specifications? A: No, NGSCB is not an implementation of the existing specifications developed by TCPA or TCG. The upcoming version of the trusted platform module (TPM 1.2) is expected to work as the security support component in the NGSCB architecture. and Q: In what ways do TCG and the NGSCB architecture differ, and what do they have in common? A: The NGSCB architecture encompasses a much broader set of functionality than TCG, but both efforts are designed to enable a more secure and trustworthy computing platform. [This is embrace and extend, even when its supposed to be 'Trustworthy' - Authenticated booting of nexus This is 'call home or dont run' Q: Will other software produ
My eyes, my eyes!
Ever think about it? Padlocks! Bolts! LASER BEAMS!
Think more about the room, and less about the chincy little card reader someone could easily rip out of the front of your case, or better yet just snag the HDD from your system and proceed to hack your data..
Not true.
An administrator can reset a key, but cannot read it. When you reset a key, documents become unrecoverable.
Most places who are seriously considering using file encryption implement security policies that eliminate things like local administrative accounts and check some of the powers of administrative users.
For example, data that is protected by HIPPA law in the US can be deleted, moved or indexed by a computer administrator, but cannot be modified. Only users with a business need to view/manipulate/create data can do so.
NTFS encryption is like any other encryption scheme -- it needs to be configured properly to be secure.
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
Whether or not you can set it up any other way I don't know, but that's how it works by default.
And setting up no local adminstrator account is insanely stupid...what if the network drivers break?
If corporations are people, aren't stockholders guilty of slavery?
ibutton.com
If someone has physical access and determination, nothing you do will be 100%..
All you can do is slow them down..
Enabling bios passwords, disabling boot from anything but the HD, storing data on the servers, and good system passwords should be enough to keep out the casuals...
---- Booth was a patriot ----
If the network drivers "break", you reimage the box. Of course, if you are in a well-run business network, this doesn't happen because users don't install software and IT tests new apps against common workstation images.
If you have the budget to spend lots of time dianosing arcane workstation issues, you are misspending your budget.
The most important thing in data security is policy & practices. If you or your IT people are ignorant of the system that they work with to the point that they allow anonymous users "ie local 'Administrator'" to access sensitive, encrypted data, the data never can be secure.
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
Remove the HDD and lock it in a safe.
Install a lock on the case, cut the wire from the start button to the motherboard, insert keyswitch like the old keyboard locks.
Should just about do it.
I was just taking issue with the concept of removing the account. By all means, IT are the only people who should have access to it, but it still needs to exist.
Otherwise you will run into incredible stupid things like having to reimage a drive because your network card failed. Which despite whatever you may claim, is not an effective way to run a business, especially a business with important enough data that it needs encryption. (Which is what this thread was about.) It may be an efficent way to run IT, but it sure as hell isn't helping the business any to wander around randomly reimaging the drives.
I mean, the most efficent way to run IT is to just not give anyone a computer, then you don't have to spend any of that precious precious budget of yours. But that's an incredibly stupid thing for a business to do, no matter how good it makes IT look.
If corporations are people, aren't stockholders guilty of slavery?
Who logged into workstation "X" yesterday at 3:10?
/Administrator. Helpful.
Oh, it was
You need to find yourself an old model PC. One of the ones left over from the days when every PC had a klunky keyed lock to disable the keyboard.
8-)