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Kensington Laptop Locks Not So Secure
eric434 writes "According to a security alert released by Security.Org, the Kensington laptop lock that many of us use and love isn't secure. In fact, it can be opened in 30 seconds after about a minute of practice with a $1 worth of equipment. (A Bic pen, and a pair of scissors. In the interest of giving people some time to stop using the locks, the actual method of opening the lock is left up to the reader.)
To make matters worse, Kensington's 'We'll give you $1500 if someone steals your laptop' guarantee doesn't apply -- because the process of opening the lock doesn't damage the lock or cable." Mind the source, though -- security.org wouldn't mind selling you a book on locks and safes.
sooo... if you steal my laptop, please take the cable and lock, so I can still get my $1500...
We'll give you $1500 if someone steals your laptop' guarantee doesn't apply -- because the process of opening the lock doesn't damage the lock or cable.
After your lock has been cleanly picked, go to your local Home Depot, get a cable cutter and cut the cable yourself. Make sure you make a real mess of it. Then send back to Kensington and claim the $1500.
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
I just arrived home from an out-of-state family reunion, where I had my ThinkPad locked to a picnic table with a Kensington lock, to find out that my computer was not nearly as secure as I would have thought. My wife points out that there were pens and scissors there, too! They could have taken my preciousssss!
Does this mean I can get a Powerbook to replace the Tandy 286 laptop I have sitting in my closet?
I saw MacGyver do this years ago.
And *he* didn't need the scissors.
---anactofgod---
---anactofgod---
"Equal opportunity swindling - *that* is the true test of a sustainable democracy."
They probably use the bic pin to set the pins and the scissors to apply the torque.
You do realize that the DHS protects its laptops with Kensington locks, right? That means you just won free holidays in Cuba.
-- Signed: John A. <ashybaby@dhs.gov>
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
Kensington should start selling a lock for their laptop lock! Money in the bank if you ask me...
A Bic pen, and a pair of scissors...
Damn you MacGyver!!
I carry around my gym shoes and a change of clothes in a $200 leather laptop case. That'll show 'em.
"Remember, there never were pineapple-almond cookies here."
When I'm at Starbucks for a few hours, the caffine gives way eventually. Fortuantely the Starbucks I frequent gives police officers free coffee. I'm nieve enough to hope that one of them would notice if someone was taking pliars or a bic pen to my laptop while I was peeing.
Let's see, you stay at Starbucks for hours, you write english like my left foot, and you know police officers get free coffee: you wouldn't happen to be the guy behind the counter would you?
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
By and large, though, the majority of consumers are justly rewarded
Here on the interweb we like our statistics with links, thanks. And this doesn't count.
Literalism isn't a form of humor, it's you being irritating.
Just use the DMCA's anti-circumvention clause and ban bic pens, and scissors! I'm sure this follows the spirit of the law, and totally what the legislators intended the DMCA for. Enforcement of this ban should be pretty easy as well...
"There is no spoon." - The Matrix
If my answers frighten you, stop asking scary questions.
I just leave my crappy old 150mhz Toshiba next to a few friends' Powerbooks.
Problem solved.
The apple I-lock. Its transperant purple, has only one key and costs $349.95.
You see, metal.. So cutting through would be near impossible.
Because... metal is the strongest thing on earth, impervious to bending and cutting even in the smallest quantities?
When in doubt, use brute force. -- Ken Thompson
Call me old fashioned, but I like a dump to be as memorable as it is devastating - Bender
Trunk of your car is better than nothing in Chicago, though, and certainly better than the front seat. As long as they don't know there's anything in the trunk, they're less likely to hit your car.
Especially if you drive a beater that looks like it couldn't possibly have anything valuable in it, and leave it in a good neighborhood with lots of Jettas and SUVs and expensive crap. (coughLincolnParkcough).
On the other hand, I've sat with the owners and watched their 300k mile, damn near dead, Chevy Nova get stolen from in front of their house. I mean, they wanted it to be stolen, since getting it towed (there were brake problems to the point that they didn't want to drive it, not safe) would have cost as much as a junkyard would have given them, but still, its kinda funny to sit with someone who's *watching* their car get stolen. I love Chicago.
---
Mod me down, you fucking twits. Go ahead. I dare you.
(I read with sigs off.)
He was arrested recently.
Disclaimer: If I disagree with you I'm probably trolling...
Let's see, you stay at Starbucks for hours, you write english like my left foot, and you know police officers get free coffee: you wouldn't happen to be the guy behind the counter would you?
Colons are used for structures such as lists, quotations, or supporting comments. You have used it to combine two sentances or two thoughts together. Your only "sentance" of that the paragraph is a run-on.
I have a problem with spelling. You have a problem with syntax. Now, get back to work boss. We don't close until 10.
I call BS. Whenever I steal a car I ALWAYS try the handle first. All good thieves do.
No sig for you.
Hmm...for some reason this reminds me of a story my friend told me about something stupid he did.
:)
After having his car stereo stolen, he replaced it and jammed razor blades around the stereo.
It was, of course stolen...and blood was smeared all over the interior...and all the windows were smashed by the pissed off thief...and the tires were slashed...and a good sized dent for good measure.
Don't do this.
... is use those same amazing, unhackable screws that bathroom stalls are put on with. Those suckers are super secure! When civilization has its downfall, and all potentially useful metal scraps have been scavenged, we'll still have fully-assembled bathroom stalls.
The thing you want to put back there is fishhooks, then the theif has a decision to make. Pain or police.
Well shucks. Here in the USA, we put all of our systems under guard by ppl with M-16s. Then we put Windows on it. That will stop it.
Why not just strap a bra around the laptop?
That would at least prevent male thieves from stealing the laptop.
- Peter Brodersen; professional nerd
How about a fake battery pack which is actually a couple of pounds of high-explosive?
Of course, it carries a risk to the legitimate user who forgets that the fake pack is connected...
-- The universe began. Life started on a billion worlds...
-- Except on one where stupidity was there first.
Man, I don't know where you come from, but ten seconds? You must have either really blunt knives in your town, or titanium spiked butter or something, but damn!
Cogito, ergo sig.
Instead of locking the laptop to a desk or table, loop the cable around a body part - preferably a body part where constriction will not kill you (neck = bad, waist=good). When you stand up to walk away, the laptop will be dragged along with you.
This also serves as a work-around for many short term memeory disorders - answering once and for all the age old question of: crickey, where did I leave my laptop?
Next week we will tackle the problem of leaving valuable files in insecure filing cabinets. (hint: think backpack)
That just sounds like normal lock-picking to me. Here is an article on the technique that is describing pretty much the same thing on a more traditional yale-style key.
Great. I've just taught serveral thousand geeks how to lock-pick... ;-)