 PatriotAr15
Tyranny is the absolute highest form of blasphemy
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Posted: 7/20/2012 7:53:25 AM
THE IMAGE ABOVE IS A PAID ADVERTISEMENT This still leaves my PC and TV wide open. The TV would be an acceptable loss. I bought it for only $200.... the PC? Would be a CRUSHING blow to me. I know there is software available that can help locate the PC, should it get stolen, and if it ever gets hooked online. Also, are there any cables, PC cases, PC cabinets or anything else that could prevent/deter a theft? |
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castiel
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Posted: 7/20/2012 8:32:48 AM
Keep backups and have good insurance
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vengarr
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Posted: 7/20/2012 8:42:51 AM
Originally Posted By PatriotAr15:
I recently bought a safe, so now my firearms are at least safe. This still leaves my PC and TV wide open. The TV would be an acceptable loss. I bought it for only $200.... the PC? Would be a CRUSHING blow to me. I know there is software available that can help locate the PC, should it get stolen, and if it ever gets hooked online. Also, are there any cables, PC cases, PC cabinets or anything else that could prevent/deter a theft? keep the real pc in a locked cabinet under the desk, keep a old junk pc up top next to your monitor. |
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ColonelHurtz
Horror and moral terror are your friends.
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Posted: 7/20/2012 10:25:25 AM
My XPS has a hasp on the case so I chained it to the table it sits on.
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Posted: 7/20/2012 10:56:33 AM
Originally Posted By PatriotAr15:
I recently bought a safe, so now my firearms are at least safe. This still leaves my PC and TV wide open. The TV would be an acceptable loss. I bought it for only $200.... the PC? Would be a CRUSHING blow to me. I know there is software available that can help locate the PC, should it get stolen, and if it ever gets hooked online. Also, are there any cables, PC cases, PC cabinets or anything else that could prevent/deter a theft? Most desktop PCs have a place to attach a cable lock similar to a notebook. Not sure if this will help much if BGs have time to break or cut it. |
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AJ_Engineer
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Posted: 7/20/2012 11:06:30 AM
Originally Posted By castiel:
Keep backups and have good insurance This right here. Otherwise put it in an area that is a pain to get to. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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AssaultRifler
Get off my lawn
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Posted: 7/20/2012 11:12:18 AM
if you're paranoid, toss in full disk encyrption as well
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Posted: 7/20/2012 1:29:06 PM
The Kensington lock slot on most PCs and laptops is a deterrent at best––they can usually be defeated by knocking the "protected" device off the desk it's tied to and letting it's own weight extract the tiny locking tab.
My preferred protection methodolgy is to use networked storage––a thief could walk out of my home with any PC or laptop and not get any important data. The machine that stores all of that lives in a small, locked, half-rack in the closet of my workout room. The less involved method of protecting your data is to use portable USB drives––when you finish working at your PC, safely remove the drive and throw it in the safe with your guns. |
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LoganSackett
If you can read this, you aren't illiterate
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Posted: 7/20/2012 1:49:39 PM
Originally Posted By LeviTX: The Kensington lock slot on most PCs and laptops is a deterrent at best末they can usually be defeated by knocking the "protected" device off the desk it's tied to and letting it's own weight extract the tiny locking tab. My preferred protection methodolgy is to use networked storage末a thief could walk out of my home with any PC or laptop and not get any important data. The machine that stores all of that lives in a small, locked, half-rack in the closet of my workout room. The less involved method of protecting your data is to use portable USB drives末when you finish working at your PC, safely remove the drive and throw it in the safe with your guns. I think he's more worried about losing the machine itself than the data on the drive. If it was the data he was concerned about, he could just use Truecrypt to fully encrypt the drive and wouldn't have to worry about it. Personally, I am not worried about my data being stolen in a robbery because all my drives are encrypted, but replacing my computer itself is not something I can afford to do. |
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LoganSackett
If you can read this, you aren't illiterate
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Posted: 7/20/2012 1:50:59 PM
Originally Posted By vengarr: This is what I would do. Originally Posted By PatriotAr15: I recently bought a safe, so now my firearms are at least safe. This still leaves my PC and TV wide open. The TV would be an acceptable loss. I bought it for only $200.... the PC? Would be a CRUSHING blow to me. I know there is software available that can help locate the PC, should it get stolen, and if it ever gets hooked online. Also, are there any cables, PC cases, PC cabinets or anything else that could prevent/deter a theft? keep the real pc in a locked cabinet under the desk, keep a old junk pc up top next to your monitor. |
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PatriotAr15
Tyranny is the absolute highest form of blasphemy
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Posted: 7/20/2012 3:25:34 PM
Are there any good recovery programs? Programs that when the PC connects to the internet, will alert me to the IP address and possible location of the PC? I head some programs are even format/OS-reinstall proof.
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at4rxj
Very Important Contributor
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Posted: 7/20/2012 3:32:16 PM
What kind of case is it? A homebuilt computer in a standard case, or an off the shelf with a smaller compact case? In a full size case, you usually have room to open the side panel and bolt the case to your floor or desk.... If you're really worried about it.
I'd just do a backup... cloud storage and/or external storage is so cheap right now, just keep everything on that and nothing but the OS on the desktop. |
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AssaultRifler
Get off my lawn
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Posted: 7/20/2012 8:38:28 PM
Originally Posted By PatriotAr15: Are there any good recovery programs? Programs that when the PC connects to the internet, will alert me to the IP address and possible location of the PC? I head some programs are even format/OS-reinstall proof. I remember this story from a few years back http://tech.exchange.ph/blog/gary/2010/12/24/how-a-hacker-got-his-stolen-mac-back-after-screwing-around-with-the-thief-a-bit |
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schizrade
255.255.255.257... TCPwned
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Posted: 7/21/2012 8:05:45 PM
Originally Posted By LoganSackett:
Originally Posted By vengarr:
This is what I would do.
Originally Posted By PatriotAr15:
I recently bought a safe, so now my firearms are at least safe. This still leaves my PC and TV wide open. The TV would be an acceptable loss. I bought it for only $200.... the PC? Would be a CRUSHING blow to me. I know there is software available that can help locate the PC, should it get stolen, and if it ever gets hooked online. Also, are there any cables, PC cases, PC cabinets or anything else that could prevent/deter a theft? keep the real pc in a locked cabinet under the desk, keep a old junk pc up top next to your monitor. No way, they need to breath. Best advice is to use a NAS device locked in a separate place and save everything to that, then back that up to a secure cloud site. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 7/21/2012 8:38:17 PM
Worth a watch on said subject.
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RR_Broccoli
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Posted: 7/22/2012 1:18:25 PM
Just make sure you have enough insurance to cover the loss of the PC, and encrypt then back up your data off site (or hidden location, if you are just worried about theft and not fire/flood/etc).
There's nothing that is effective that will get your PC back. The FIRST thing anybody with brains is going to do is wipe it. Or, maybe put the drives in an external enclosure and grab what data they want.
PCs depreciate FAST and I expect that they'll go on craigslist instead of being used, or possibly outright destroyed by the rough handling during and shortly after the theft.
It's much harder to get data of a laptop (relatively speaking) than it is a PC. Laptops are much more likely to stay intact for various reasons, including proprietary Windows install disks, and it's more of an "opportunity theft" risk than a "burglar after your stuff" risk. Laptops get stolen by kids with an opportunity and not necessarily premeditated intent. PCs, not so much.
Laptops should be encrypted too. You have MUCH MORE to lose by someone getting the thing and using stored passwords to leverage into your email, and from there your online accounts like online banking and such than you do from the loss of the PC itself. What is on the average laptop or PC will have enough info for identity theft that could plague you for years. |
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Posted: 7/22/2012 7:00:25 PM
Originally Posted By PatriotAr15: Are there any good recovery programs? Programs that when the PC connects to the internet, will alert me to the IP address and possible location of the PC? I head some programs are even format/OS-reinstall proof. http://preyproject.com/ try this out, i keep it on my laptop. have not got to use it, only tested it. if you use this you may want to password your bios, it is not format proof. LoJack is format proof and very hard to get rid of or block once it is on there, and there is a monthly fee for it. |
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ArimoDave
Meet George *below*
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Posted: 7/22/2012 7:04:32 PM
If the case says 386 and has a Turbo button, my guess is that anyone who takes it is a complete moron.
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Moondog
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Posted: 7/23/2012 12:19:11 AM
Originally Posted By LeviTX:
The Kensington lock slot on most PCs and laptops is a deterrent at best末they can usually be defeated by knocking the "protected" device off the desk it's tied to and letting it's own weight extract the tiny locking tab. My preferred protection methodolgy is to use networked storage末a thief could walk out of my home with any PC or laptop and not get any important data. The machine that stores all of that lives in a small, locked, half-rack in the closet of my workout room. The less involved method of protecting your data is to use portable USB drives末when you finish working at your PC, safely remove the drive and throw it in the safe with your guns. By exerting excessive stress on the hardware may also compromise the data on the hard drive. If it's someone wanting to pull data, that's not a wise choice, and if it's some smack addict looking for an item to pawn, a beaten to hell desktop case won't garner as much money. If it requires more than 15 minutes to remove, the latter will probably not mess with it. |
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semgin
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives... MMMM
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Posted: 7/25/2012 6:39:46 PM
Run a cable from the computer to a hidden claymore.
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TheRocketmac
What are you lookin' at?
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Posted: 8/11/2012 3:46:10 AM
[Last Edit: 8/11/2012 3:54:25 AM by TheRocketmac]
Originally Posted By Moondog:
Originally Posted By LeviTX:
The Kensington lock slot on most PCs and laptops is a deterrent at best末they can usually be defeated by knocking the "protected" device off the desk it's tied to and letting it's own weight extract the tiny locking tab. My preferred protection methodolgy is to use networked storage末a thief could walk out of my home with any PC or laptop and not get any important data. The machine that stores all of that lives in a small, locked, half-rack in the closet of my workout room. The less involved method of protecting your data is to use portable USB drives末when you finish working at your PC, safely remove the drive and throw it in the safe with your guns. By exerting excessive stress on the hardware may also compromise the data on the hard drive. If it's someone wanting to pull data, that's not a wise choice, and if it's some smack addict looking for an item to pawn, a beaten to hell desktop case won't garner as much money. If it requires more than 15 minutes to remove, the latter will probably not mess with it. Does not take much effort or force to remove those (i.e. the drop is a bit extreme). However, most thieves aren't careful when speed is required.... Data loss mitigation and protection is the new name of the game (so to speak).... We have an external drive (well 2) while one which is 7-days stale sits in the safe, the other is attached to our NAS (to save music/videos/images). We also direct-connect to that drive via the NAS to save documents on an encrypted file-space (from my wife's computer's and mine). Additionally, we use Crashplan (you can use Backblaze, Mozy or even Carbonite) to do all off-site backup now (documents, images and music). We chose Crashplan because the headless Linux client works well on our NAS (Synology DS1511+) and they offer what I think is the best encryption/recovery services for our data. That encrypted file-space even goes for the ride. We may lose the hardware, however data loss mitigation is more important us; "1 is none, 2 is one" is my idea. (we used to keep another copy of the weekly at the safe deposit box at our credit union  )
Music, pictures, videos and non-sensitive documents = unencrypted Documents (anything relating to money, house, medical, personal or otherwise proprietary) = encrypted |
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