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Death On Demand Drive Tech
Xanderoth writes "Engadget has an article on 'Dead on Demand' technology to destroy your disk drive should it be compromised by any number of ways. From the article: 'Configurable triggers such as removal or tampering of the drive, removal of device from a resting GPS point, cellular telephone call, or even a change in temperature will release a chemical mist into the drive (not the computer) destroying it layer by layer.' Of course the drives, due out next year, are expected to be priced between $2,500 to $9,000 each, plus a yearly fee."
Uhm ... or they destroy the harddrive themselves?
We do not live in the 21st century. We live in the 20 second century.
...that looks for these drives and triggers the self-destruct if it finds any.
Please make payment immediately to avoid automatic loss of data.
Please note that this is for your protection - since if your drive is not protected against theft, we will activate the antitheft device to ensure that your data won't fall into the wrong hands.
I swear every Maxtor drive I've ever had has this feature...
Any number of triggers activate self destruct mode...
Defragging the hard drive
Installing a new OS
Turning the machine on
Just buy a Maxtor and all you have to do to destroy your data is... use it. ;P
-"...bad old ideas look confusingly fresh when they are packaged as technology" - Jaron Lanier (Digital Maoism on Edge.o
Why destroy when you can simply have everything be encrypted? It's cheaper too, in fact there are some free / open source on the fly encryption programs that can do large partitions:
Do any of the Linux distributions do encryption, of even full partition/harddrive encryption? That maybe ideal.
"plus a yearly fee." ... which you WILL pay... or else you will get to see our drive-destroying technology in action!
All I see there, on not4chan.org, are drawings. In some areas they are illegal I'm sure (along with 'regular' pornography too). However - at least in the United States - drawings are deemed legal since no person was harmed in the process.
:).
Pretty good principle, if an action or behaviour by a person harms no one (or only the person themself) then it should be allowed. I'd call it the harm principle I'd call it the harm principle or maybe negative liberty
Reminds me of the early 90's when I first got access to a pirate BBS. I was so concerned that they would get busted and I'd get raided that I set up a script that would blow away my entire hard drive with one click.
The stage is set.
So, a month after I get access I'm hanging out on the BBS at about 11pm and there's a knock at my door. I look through the window and see a police officer. I run the script and answer the door with as much composure as I can muster.
The police officer looks at me strangely like he was expecting me to react in some way. He then asked if I called. When I said no, he realized that he was at the wrong apartment.
I imagine myself walking with a GPS Jammer around data centers like a little kid imagining how many drives I just blew away ....
This isn't a bad idea, but I imagine it's going to be a windfall for any child pornographers. How are you going to put them away if the hard drive's a bubbling mass of goop (or just...not readable. But they should use bubbling-goop chemicals just to make it more interesting).
Of course, I can just see it going in the PGP direction: "He felt the need to buy a $9K hard drive to protect his stuff! He MUST have had something to hide! Guilty!"
Tluin natha Linux xxizzuss uriu olt bwael mon'tun.
Not as a primary means of data protection, but they love it as a secondary means. They'd buy these drives *AND* run encrypted filesystems on them. Remember the spy plane that was forced to land in China? When the Chinese military stormed the plane, the comms op was hacking the crypto equipment to bits -- literally, with a large axe. Official recommended procedure, after going through the electronic sterilization steps. Execute all designed-in electronic destruction measures, then follow up with as many physical destruction measures as you have time for.
-----Chaz
Configurable triggers such as removal or tampering of the drive, removal of device from a resting GPS point, cellular telephone call, or even a change in temperature
Change of temperature of the drive: Ok Smart one. You power down the system to do some maintenance poof there goes your drive. Or Your AC dies, Or you get a new cooler AC in. Or you do some unusual heavy processing. That is a wast.
removal of the device from a resting GPS point: Doesn't GPS need line of site. I know when I am driving my cars GPS will not work if there are to many trees overhead. Opps a war just started, in canada. GWB first order turn off a civilian GPS so we can have a greater tactical advantage.
Cell Telephone Call. I can see it someone one has the number and code in their host list and acidently hit the button. Poof. Also hacker with a war dialer.
Removal or Tampering: The system needs to be fixed (because your second mirror self destructing drive died) Well lets take out the drive... Opps wrong one. Poof!
This technology can lead to to much stupid mistakes. Issues such as high levels of encryption. Putting the system in a secure computer room with a heavy door and lock. and keep it locked. Good security and IT policies in place.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.