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Questions tagged [physical-security]

15 questions
93
votes
20 answers

Can some software physically damage hardware?

I know a question similar to this one has been asked before however it was about installing a 32bit OS on a 64bit laptop. My question is more about damaging the hardware. I was wondering if there was a way of interfacing with hardware from the OS or…
nopcorn
  • 16,982
24
votes
7 answers

Ways to physically secure laptop that has no kensington lock

My company is planning to buy several laptops for demonstration purposes in a convention stand. Previously, we always bought laptops that have kensington slots for the typical cable locks. Now, the laptop we are liking most is an ultrabook with no…
Carlos G.
  • 422
16
votes
5 answers

Is it secure to give someone my laptop with my Dropbox folder saved on it?

My laptop contains my Dropbox folder (under my account). I want to give this laptop to my friend for some time, and he will be using another account. Is it possible that: He will be able to access this folder? Virus software (that he might install…
Oleg Vazhnev
  • 853
4
votes
1 answer

Is there an open source implementation of an 802.1X authenticator?

I'm aware of Xsupplicant, but it seems to only implement the "client" side of the handshake. The authenticator side, which handles the other side of the EAPOL handshake, and interfaces to RADIUS (presumably FreeRADIUS for our testing) I don't see…
Glenn Connery
  • 51
2
votes
1 answer

Lost Kensington lock key - how to remove from laptop?

I'm asking this only for curiosity. Suppose I lost my Kensington lock key: how to take my laptop with me? Part 1 of the process is breaking the cable with heavy scissors, the ones also used by gardeners to prune bushes, or even better one like the…
usr-local-ΕΨΗΕΛΩΝ
  • 4,862
1
vote
0 answers

Add a TPM to a board

I am to release a design based on an Atheros SoC. I want to additionally secure the system. So I'm looking into adding a TPM to the motherboard's design, or using some USB/serial security token. I know very little about this topic. Where would I…
user907323
  • 11
1
vote
3 answers

Is there a way to stop portable USB storage devices from being used on my computer?

I'd like to stop portable USB storage devices from being used on my computer. Its just too easy for someone to copy confidential data from my hard drive to a USB flash drive. Is there a way to install a program on Windows 7, so that if an unknown…
Contango
  • 1,207
1
vote
1 answer

My screensaver does not turn on - what could be preventing it?

My screensaver will not turn on - despite everything set properly, it sometimes never activates. This is a problem, as I need screensaver password protection if I step away from the computer for an hour or so. The only thing I can think of is that…
Contango
  • 1,207
1
vote
1 answer

Shredding an SSD (or: Is an SSD harder than a CD?)

I have a small office shredder which can destroy not only paper but also CDs and credit cards. Can I use that to destroy an M2 SSD or will that break my shredder? In other words, are components of an M2 SSD "harder" or "softer" than a CD?
Heinzi
  • 4,258
0
votes
3 answers

BIOS settings changed unexpectedly

Here's what happened: Desktop working perfectly (playing SuperTuxKart on Linux Mint). Power down (computer left unattended, no one home). After about 3.5 hours - power up. Linux Mint starts up almost perfectly with the exception of system date and…
facing-a-dilemma
  • 1
0
votes
1 answer

What should I look for in an object when securing a laptop with a Kensington lock?

When I secure my laptop to an object using a Kensington lock, what features should I be looking for in that object to help ensure that my laptop is as safe as possible? A table doesn't work, since as one person says, "A table is topologically…
InquilineKea
  • 1,266
  • 5
  • 19
  • 34
0
votes
0 answers

How to make physical reset button require long press

Is there a way to make my computer case's physical reset button only perform a reset after being pressed continuously for some number of seconds in a manner akin to my power button ? I want that to prevent accidental hitting. Solutions for both…
elig
  • 198
0
votes
0 answers

Implication of physical access to a hard drive with Bitlocker enabled but without TPM

I have a Windows 10 machine (fully updated as of 2019-10-23) in a work place that I leave at work at the end of the days. I have enabled Bitlocker for the main OS drive which houses some personal data. The machine however doesn't have TPM. If the…
yurnero
  • 291
0
votes
1 answer

Security concerns for mounting a Cisco 7911 phone mounted outside in weather proof box

I was asked to look at hardware for mounting a phone near the loading dock at work. We have plenty of Cisco 7911s. The concern is someone plugging into the phone's pass-through NIC. Is it enough to enable MAC port security on the Cisco interface…
user38537
  • 219
-3
votes
1 answer

What would the ideal situation be that would cause you to be the most anonymous?

Let's say you were going to hack into the governments most precious data, what security precautions can you think of that would make you the most anonymous? My idea of a max security situation would be using Tor with a VPN that you 100% trust not to…
Jackson
  • 101