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    Best security solution for notebooks?

    Discussion in 'Security and Anti-Virus Software' started by klezmer41, Apr 14, 2010.

  1. klezmer41

    klezmer41 Notebook Evangelist

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    Let's say I want to have a system in such a way that if it's stolen, there is little to no liklihood that the thieves could get onto my operating system or otherwise get to the data.

    It looks like Truecrypt and MS' Bitlocker are options but they do hamper performance, so is it viable to partition the drive and only have part of it encrypted by Truecrypt? I'm hopelessly addicted to Battlefield, so I need to think about gaming performance :)

    In terms of locating stolen property, what are the options in terms of "Lojack" type functionality?
     
    klezmer41, Apr 14, 2010
    #1
  2. HPDV6700

    HPDV6700 Notebook Consultant

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    HPDV6700, Apr 14, 2010
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  3. Melody

    Melody How's It Made Addict

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    Do you want to encrypt the whole hard disc or only some folders? You can try TrueCrypt or if you have some extra cash you can try GoldKey but both only work on specific folders and files, not the entire HDD.

    If you want to proof your computer against theft then LoJack is the thing.
     
    Melody, Apr 14, 2010
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  4. lbohn

    lbohn Notebook Consultant

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    Take a look at Prey. It's an open source project that is actively developed. Prey will send reports with all kinds of detailed information regarding network information, geolocation, running programs, desktop screenshots and even pics from the webcam when requested. It is controlled through a web portal, so you can use your phone to report the laptop missing and starting reviewing reports right away.

    Another option is LocatePC. LocatePC is simpler: it emails you with the IP address and few other bits of info every time your laptop starts. I believe you can set the trigger to notify on IP change, rather than every startup.

    --L.
     
    lbohn, Apr 14, 2010
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  5. newsposter

    newsposter Notebook Virtuoso

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    a) bitlocker was cracked a few weeks back, it's an obscure crack, but it is repeatable

    b) truecrypt has a miniscule impact on performance, far less than other solutions, TC is the gold standard for whole disk/boot disk encryption

    c) don't loose the machine
     
    newsposter, Apr 15, 2010
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  6. klezmer41

    klezmer41 Notebook Evangelist

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    As careful as I can be about not ever leaving it in the car and always keeping it close to me, there's always a possibility of getting robbed when in transit. In a situation like that I'd like to have some sort of peace-of-mind.
     
    klezmer41, Apr 15, 2010
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  7. lbohn

    lbohn Notebook Consultant

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    Are you referring to the TPM crack? BitLocker has been cracked for several years. (I believe this attack even affects TrueCrypt). There is now a commerical product for cracking BitLocker.

    --L.
     
    lbohn, Apr 16, 2010
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  8. Angelic

    Angelic Kickin' back :3

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    Oh wow, bitlocker can be cracked pretty easily? So is it not worth using as a security measure?
     
    Angelic, Apr 20, 2010
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  9. lbohn

    lbohn Notebook Consultant

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    A locked door is harder to open than an unlocked door. An encrypted system (BitLocker, TrueCrypt, PGP, EFS, etc) is harder to access than an unencrypted system.

    Unless you are transporting state secrets or the like, I really wouldn't worry about it much. Stick with the encryption scheme you feel most comfortable using.

    --L.
     
    lbohn, Apr 20, 2010
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  10. Angelic

    Angelic Kickin' back :3

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    Oh ok! I just didn't want to tout this as a nice feature of Windows 7 if it could just be cracked in 2 minutes. I get it now. :)
     
    Angelic, Apr 20, 2010
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