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Increasing Computer Security through Hardware?

Posted by Cliff on from the when-passwords-are-too-much-of-a-hassle dept.

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?"

8 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. How about this by MarsDefenseMinister · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Use a password to log in. And set your screensaver to activate, with a password, after a short amount of time.

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    No weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men.-Ronald Reagan
  2. Does this attract or repel you? by orthogonal · · Score: 3, Interesting

    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?
    1. Re:Does this attract or repel you? by enigmatichmachine · · Score: 2, Interesting

      i've oftentimes thought about building a electomagnet into my pc case, such that if a secret switch isn't held down as the case is opened, the electomagnet fries the HDD. never had any data valuable enough to bother though. Anyone ever done it/ know someone who has?

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      -and occasionaly a giant moose.
  3. Look out for Fritz Chip- The CryptoProcessor by Phoe6 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    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.

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    Senthil
  4. A lock by metalhed77 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    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.

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    Photos.
  5. Hardware Encrypted Hard Drive by sgifford · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This hardware encrypted hard drive might be part of what you're looking for.

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    My Web Page
  6. Try this... by b06r011 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    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? :)

  7. how far are you willing to go? by bluGill · · Score: 2, Interesting

    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.