Re: [OT] Physical Computer Security
On or about Fri, Jul 19, 2002 at 12:01:02PM +0100, Steve Keay typed: >On Fri, Jul 19, 2002 at 10:32:10AM +0100, Roger Burton West wrote: (actually I didn't write the first bit you quoted) >> You could go with my approach - the machine room has about 30 PCs in it, >> of which some few might be worth more than a tenner... >Put the expensive ones in the loft. Run long cables or use radio lan. >This makes the room quieter too, but it's a pain to go up there to put >a CD in. It's going to be happening, yes. It'll also make the room _cooler_... Roger
Re: [OT] Physical Computer Security
On Fri, Jul 19, 2002 at 10:32:10AM +0100, Roger Burton West wrote: > >(I trust that this isn't inviting me to be burgled... is this mailing list > >archived publicly and would a burglar use it to find properties?) The thieves that are bright enough to do that kind of research are probably not going to lower themselves to blue-collar burgulary. > You could go with my approach - the machine room has about 30 PCs in it, > of which some few might be worth more than a tenner... Put the expensive ones in the loft. Run long cables or use radio lan. This makes the room quieter too, but it's a pain to go up there to put a CD in.
Re: [OT] Physical Computer Security
On Fri, 19 Jul 2002, Roger Burton West wrote: > >ADT have been pestering me recently to pay for their monitored burglar > >alarm. (Installation free, but the telephone monitoring costs per month). > > They're doing that a lot. That's because they make a lot of money on it. > When did you last see anyone actually paying any attention to a burglar > alarm? I went for an alarm with a voice dialler on it, so I get phoned on my mobile when the alarm goes off. No monthly fees to pay that way, you just stump up for the alarm. It gives me sufficient peace of mind, and also means that should it go squirrly, then I won't get chucked off redcare or whoever. If you want a recommendation for someone to fit it, mail me and I'll hunt out the details of the bloke who did mine (he also did our previous offices, and before that, a cow-orkers house, so that's a few recommendations) > >(I trust that this isn't inviting me to be burgled... is this mailing list > >archived publicly and would a burglar use it to find properties?) > > You could go with my approach - the machine room has about 30 PCs in it, > of which some few might be worth more than a tenner... That's what I'm counting on, too - I got broken[1] into in the few weeks between moving house, and the alarm being fitted. Being opportunist types though, they left all the computers and the main tv, took an aging 15" telly and video, a dead psion (the live one being with me at the time) and a few US dollars that I had lying around. It's probably carrying a chain kit around with the laptop, both to prevent this happening at home, and so that you might actually use it when you're elsewhere with it. If a professional wanted to steal all my kit, I doubt any protection system that I'd want to live with would suffice. the hatter [1] I say broken, but it seems that it didn't require much effort, due to some cack-handed DIY by the previous owner. Got that fixed plenty quick.
Re: [OT] Physical Computer Security
On or about Fri, Jul 19, 2002 at 10:39:38AM +0100, Alex McLintock typed: >Any suggestions folks? I forgot to mention: http://www.uoe.dk/csworld/security-.html Roger
Re: [OT] Physical Computer Security
On Fri, 19 Jul 2002, Alex McLintock wrote:
> Do people recommend those glue on rings and the equivalent of bike chains?
Funny you should say that. I've just got my hands on one of these chain
things that you use to secure a laptop by connecting it to the tiny chain
port at the back of the thing.
As an assessment I'd say it'll stop the opportunist thief, but it wouldn't
stand up for five minutes to someone who knew what they were doing -
though it might slow them down for a bit.
As I say, it's just a measure to deter the casual thief. Anything more
and they'll
a) be clued up enough to remove such a pathetic security measure
b) break the damn thing trying.
Invest in insurance and good backups?
Mark.
--
s'' Mark Fowler London.pm Bath.pm
http://www.twoshortplanks.com/ [EMAIL PROTECTED]
';use Term'Cap;$t=Tgetent Term'Cap{};print$t->Tputs(cl);for$w(split/ +/
){for(0..30){$|=print$t->Tgoto(cm,$_,$y)." $w";select$k,$k,$k,.03}$y+=2}
Re: [OT] Physical Computer Security
Alex McLintock wrote: > Ok ok, nothing to do with perl, sorry folks, > > A friend who lives a few miles away got burgled yesterday and lost her > computer and other stuff. So I am re-evaluating the physical security > of my computers in my house. (I also lost my PDA and phone last week > when a driver left it at Kuala Lumpar airport, g). Interesting approach. I'd generally go for securing the whole house rather than some items in it, but I realise some properties are very hard to secure, unless you really want to put bars on your windows, which isn't much fun. Other than that, I'd go for insurance! That said, long ago I worked for a company in a less-than-secure office in Shoreditch. We got burgled twice in two weeks, after which we installed security based on metal plates glued to the desks, and metal cages for the machines. Machine goes in cage, cage goes onto desk plate, and long locking bolts secure all the bits to each other Anyway, we got burgled again, and that time they didn't get anything, but they sure as hell tried. They knocked the desks over and jumped up and down on the cages to try to get them off. Some cages got a bit bent and parallelogramised (the mini-tower ones), but nothing got stolen and the machines weren't broken. On the other hand, it sure is a pain to have to put you machine in a steel cage that's bolted to your desk. Also, the desk is made kind of useless, because the plate is glued permanently, and has metal loops on it that link with the cage, so it's not even a flat plate. This was back in the days when 256Mb of RAM was a grand or something, so there was a need to protect the actual internals, not just make it hard to life the whole box. -- Jonathan Peterson Technical Manager, Unified Ltd, +44 (0)20 7383 6092 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [OT] Physical Computer Security
> "Alex" == Alex McLintock <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Alex> Ok ok, nothing to do with perl, sorry folks, A friend who Alex> lives a few miles away got burgled yesterday and lost her Alex> computer and other stuff. So I am re-evaluating the physical Alex> security of my computers in my house. (I also lost my PDA and Alex> phone last week when a driver left it at Kuala Lumpar airport, Alex> g). Heh. And I got up and started to walk off the tube this morning to have someone poke me to tell me I'd left my phone on the seat; it had fallen out of my pocket. People plus-plus, etc. Alex> Do people recommend those glue on rings and the equivalent of Alex> bike chains? Sounds like a good idea.. Alex> (I trust that this isn't inviting me to be burgled... is this Alex> mailing list archived publicly and would a burglar use it to Alex> find properties?) Yes, it's archived publically. The corollary seems a little too paranoid, though. Alex> PS Sorry I missed the technical meeting last night - I see Alex> that Paul failed to persuade anyone to review the Peer to Peer Alex> book, or the Make your own Music Videos book :-) He did try. I think most of the group was cycling back, and didn't have anything to carry them in. :) - Chris. -- $a="printf.net"; Chris Ball | chris@void.$a | www.$a | finger: chris@$a "Blessings to the chap who invented ice cream, ginger-pop and the rest! I'd rather invent things like that any day than rockets and bombs." -- Julian, "Five on Finniston Farm"
RE: [OT] Physical Computer Security
I'd go for securing the location rather then the item. Once in they can take as long as they want removing the cables/loops, etc ( or, more usually, make a right fricking mess trying ). If you can too, keep them out of view, at least no on window side desks. Yes, you'll lose the impressive vistas over put if they can't see it they wont target it. Do you like dogs ? Damn good deterrent. D -Original Message- From: alex Sent: 19 July 2002 10:40 To: london.pm Cc: alex Subject: [OT] Physical Computer Security Ok ok, nothing to do with perl, sorry folks, A friend who lives a few miles away got burgled yesterday and lost her computer and other stuff. So I am re-evaluating the physical security of my computers in my house. (I also lost my PDA and phone last week when a driver left it at Kuala Lumpar airport, g). Do people recommend those glue on rings and the equivalent of bike chains? ADT have been pestering me recently to pay for their monitored burglar alarm. (Installation free, but the telephone monitoring costs per month). Any suggestions folks? (I trust that this isn't inviting me to be burgled... is this mailing list archived publicly and would a burglar use it to find properties?) PS Sorry I missed the technical meeting last night - I see that Paul failed to persuade anyone to review the Peer to Peer book, or the Make your own Music Videos book :-) Alex McLintock Openweb Analysts Ltd, London. Software For Complex Websites http://www.OWAL.co.uk/ Open Source Software Companies please register here http://www.OWAL.co.uk/oss_support/ Visit our website at http://www.ubswarburg.com This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. E-mail transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secure or error-free as information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or contain viruses. The sender therefore does not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this message which arise as a result of e-mail transmission. If verification is required please request a hard-copy version. This message is provided for informational purposes and should not be construed as a solicitation or offer to buy or sell any securities or related financial instruments.
Re: [OT] Physical Computer Security
On or about Fri, Jul 19, 2002 at 10:39:38AM +0100, Alex McLintock typed: >Do people recommend those glue on rings and the equivalent of bike chains? Only if: (a) you have something really serious to chain them to; (b) you also prevent the case from being opened; (c) you don't worry about thieves with battery-powered angle grinders (wonderful things, those!). I have a couple of metal cases (as approved by the International Society of Hernia Specialists and Osteopaths) which would slow someone down - free for collection from Upton Park. (Also a bunch of 14"-15" monitors, if anyone wants 'em...) >ADT have been pestering me recently to pay for their monitored burglar >alarm. (Installation free, but the telephone monitoring costs per month). They're doing that a lot. That's because they make a lot of money on it. When did you last see anyone actually paying any attention to a burglar alarm? >(I trust that this isn't inviting me to be burgled... is this mailing list >archived publicly and would a burglar use it to find properties?) You could go with my approach - the machine room has about 30 PCs in it, of which some few might be worth more than a tenner... Roger
