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Putting Stickers On Your Laptop is Probably a Bad Security Idea (vice.com)
From border crossings to hacking conferences, that Bitcoin or political sticker may be worth leaving on a case at home. From a report: Plenty of hackers, journalists, and technologists love to cover their laptop in all manner of stickers. Maybe one shows off their employer, another flaunts that local cryptoparty they attended, or others may display the laptop owner's interest in Bitcoin. That's all well and good, but a laptop lid full of stickers also arguably provides something of a red flag to authorities or hackers who may want to access sensitive information stored on that computer, or otherwise cause the owner hassle.
"Conferences, border crossing[s], airports, public places -- stickers will/can get you targeted for opposition research, industrial espionage, legal or investigative scrutiny," Matt Mitchell, director of digital safety and privacy for technology and activism group Tactical Tech, told Motherboard in an online chat. Mitchell said political stickers, for instance, can land you in secondary search or result in being detained while crossing a border. In one case, Mitchell said a hacker friend ended up missing a flight over stickers.
"Conferences, border crossing[s], airports, public places -- stickers will/can get you targeted for opposition research, industrial espionage, legal or investigative scrutiny," Matt Mitchell, director of digital safety and privacy for technology and activism group Tactical Tech, told Motherboard in an online chat. Mitchell said political stickers, for instance, can land you in secondary search or result in being detained while crossing a border. In one case, Mitchell said a hacker friend ended up missing a flight over stickers.
...while I slap some stickers on this honeypot.
Which has more power: the hammer, or the anvil?
Keep your opinions to yourself if you don't want to be targeted.
his penis is very very tiny
The sticker covering your laptop's camera might be a good security idea ;-)
I wonder...
Do anyone make laptop camera stickers that look like laptop cameras?
My MacBook Pro has a Gateway sticker and is painted like a Holstein cow.
#DeleteChrome
I just put a sticker with the Compaq logo over my Apple logo. Never had my laptop messed with.
Ahh, the laptop equivelant of putting a ragged, oil stained repair manual in the back window of your car.
I guess I should think about taking off that "My other computer is an AR-15" sticker, huh?
I thought this was America. Isn't this America? I'm sorry, I thought this was America.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Those ensure you go straight to GITMO.
Time to offend someone
got a sticker of your mom on my machine, you're right, it is ugly
Nice try, Joker! The Gotham City Police Department aren't so easily fooled!
And much of stealth is just blending in. This isn't really anything new. One key to not getting robbed is to not wear all this flashy stuff that identifies you as someone worthy of being robbed. Who's the pick-pocket going to target, the guy with the $20,000 Rolex, or the guy with the $20 Timex?
Similarly, If you're doing things governments don't like, you'd far smarter just blending in rather than sticking out. People have this odd idea that they need to TELL EVERYONE who they are. Be Proud, Be Loud! Get over yourself. You can still make changes in the world and not have to stick out like a sore thumb.
No, but you can make your own out of some old-fashioned shiny clear Scotch tape.
You seem to fail to understand that "the authorities" have more guns and bigger guns and more people and jails. It's cute that you want to display your bravado but that will only get you targeted and will not end well.
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
Yes, yes! Please express yourself! Be unique. Put the SAME DAMN sports team sticker on your car as everyone else in your city. What kind of coffee mug do you own? Yeti?! Me too brother, me too! How many people are in your family? How many pets? Oh, I can just look at the back window of your vehicle. Haha, I have the same sticker on mine. Aw look, you know someone that died, so you put a memorial sticker on the back of your car. I know someone that died too... where did you get that?! I need one, so I can be unique and expressive too. Where do your kids go to school? Are you proud of them? That is unique sentiment amongst parents. Salt Life? What is that? Please tell me all about it. I like your Honda... thanks for putting the giant Honda logo sticker on the back window, it makes me not have to look at the other 8 logos that the factory put on it.
I hate all of that shit too, but I hate oppression even more.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
I put this sticker on my laptop. Two times now security theatre performers have gingerly handed it back to me, and wiped their hands afterwards with sanitiser.