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Anti theft preventative methods...

Discussion in 'Security and Privacy' started by spiderpug, 2013/08/27.

  1. 2013/08/27
    spiderpug

    spiderpug Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hi all,

    I was wanting to know the best way I can protect my computer in the chance of it being stolen. I have downloaded the software 'prey' to track and take photos of the thief from my computer if it is stolen. However, it came to mind that the thief could just format my hard drive wiping all programs making my efforts useless.

    How can I prevent this? I have read a little bit and people suggest putting a BIOS password on and to reorder booting priorities so that people cannot boot from removable media i.e. USB, CD. Does anyone know how I can do this?

    Cheers,
    James
     
    spiderpug,
    #1
  2. 2013/08/27
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Arie,
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  4. 2013/08/27
    spiderpug

    spiderpug Inactive Thread Starter

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    How do I stop them from formatting the hard drive is the question. I don't care if they take my information on my computer. I have nothing to hide. I was wanting to know what steps I can take to stop people from formatting the HDD or inserting a new windows CD and wiping the HDD. I also want something that is free, I found Lojack you had to pay.
     
    Last edited: 2013/08/27
    spiderpug,
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  5. 2013/08/27
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    You don't. If I have physical access to your laptop I can do what I want.

    Probably your best bet is to use a BIOS password. To get around it, you'd need to replace the BIOS chip on the system board.
     
    Arie,
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  6. 2013/08/27
    lj50 Lifetime Subscription

    lj50 SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    Just remember BitLocker Drive Encryption requires that you have Win 7 Ultimate or Enterprise.
     
    lj50,
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  7. 2013/08/27
    spiderpug

    spiderpug Inactive Thread Starter

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    If someone stole my computer and it had a BIOS password I read they can just remove CMOS battery, use a backdoor password, or connect the HDD to their own computer and wipe it. So it seems as though there is no way that you can prevent it but you can only annoy them by putting a BIOS password on or bitlocker (however I only have windows 7 premium so it wont work?)
     
    spiderpug,
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  8. 2013/08/27
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Since we're talking about a laptop here, let me know how you would do that ;)

    Most BIOS do not have a backdoor password.

    Yes, but it you set a BIOS "Supervisor Password ", it won't matter: even if they put a clean drive in, the system still asks for the password. Like I said above, the only way around it (on a laptop) is to replace the BIOS chip.

    On desktop PC's removing the CMOS battery or clearing the RTC clock (using a jumper) clears the password.


    As I said before: there's NO real way. Once someone has physical access to your laptop they can do what they want.

    In that case you should just focus on preventing your laptop getting stolen in the 1st place. If the thieves couldn't get easy access to the system, they won't be returning the laptop to you anyway :confused:
     
    Arie,
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  9. 2013/08/27
    spiderpug

    spiderpug Inactive Thread Starter

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    I just wanted it to be secure so that the software 'prey' could do its magic if it was stolen. I'm sure you may have heard of it?
    http://preyproject.com/
    Watching the computer is definitely the main prevention. But there has been some thefts in my universities library and so I downloaded the program prey incase they ever got mine. Hence the BIOS password question
     
    spiderpug,
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  10. 2013/08/27
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    PeteC,
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