Cubicle Security For Laptops, Electronics? 532
kamikasee writes "I recently found out that I'm going to be moved from an office to a cubicle. The cubicle area is not very secure, and I'm worried about things wandering off. My boss has offered to buy some equipment to help me secure things, but so far I haven't found anything that fits my requirements. Google and Amazon searches are overwhelmed by lockable key cabinets and larger pieces of furniture. Here are some of the requirements: The main issue with traditional solutions (e.g. locking things in a drawer) is convenience. I use a laptop with a second LCD monitor. There's also an external keyboard and mouse and a USB hard drive. I leave my laptop on at night so I can remote-desktop into it, so I'm not really happy about putting it in a drawer (no ventilation), plus I don't like the idea of having to 'unharness' everything every time I want to put it away. I don't trust cable locks. Besides, cable locks won't help me secure my the USB drive and other electronics that might wander off. The solution I imagine is a lockable, ventilated metal box that would sit under the monitor and house most of the electronics. If it was big enough, I could stick my laptop into it at night (while leaving it running) and feel confident that it would still be there in the morning. I'd be open to other types of solutions. Surely someone else must have dealt with this problem."
Physical and logical security (Score:5, Informative)
You can get some decent cable locks that are Bic Pen resistant. I use these:
http://us.kensington.com/html/11208.html [kensington.com]
on all my equipment, be it desktop or laptop. Of course, they can be cut, but it would be a dedicated effort to do so.
First, the locking cabinet is an idea, but of course if someone is desperate enough to cut cable locks, they likely will try for the cabinet if its not bolted down. You could go with a motion detecting alarm, or a locking cable that has an alarm that will sound if cut, but co-workers will get really annoyed if the system makes false alarms often.
Kensington's alarmed lock: http://us.kensington.com/html/6311.html [kensington.com]
Second, have you considered a dock for your laptop, if one is available? Almost all docks have some way of locking the laptop to the dock either via a lever and a padlock or something using a Kensington lock slot. Then, you can hook all your monitors and items to the dock and just do a simple eject to hit the road with your laptop.
Third, have you considered logical security? If you are worried about data theft as opposed to physical, consider something like TrueCrypt that can encrypt your Windows boot/system drive, and also encrypt data on external drives. If you use keyfiles, after you type in your preboot passphrase, the external drives can automount while still providing security from thieves. For further protection, you can use TrueCrypt on external drives, and use PGP's whole disk encryption with a cryptographic hardware token. Then, you can use cable locks for your devices and if someone does steal one, it will be "merely" a hardware theft rather than hardware and sensitive data.
Last, if you can't find a metal box, have you considered hitting a metal shop with the dimensions of what you want for a cage, and having them weld you up one? I have had this done (and the cage bolted down solidly) when I wanted to make sure some file servers, switch, and a router would not be stolen. Even though I did not know who other than myself had the key to the room the equipment was in, only I had the key to that cage, so I knew that the equipment might be powered off or perhaps vandalized, it wouldn't be stolen without some major effort. A welder can use pinless hinges and tabs so someone attempting to break into the cage by a crowbar wouldn't be successful.
Re:GPS (Score:3, Informative)
LoJack also offers a facility for remote deletion of data so if a really sensitive laptop is stolen, it can be securely erased by remote, similar to how one can wipe Blackberries and Windows Mobile devices if lost or stolen.
Re:A box could easily be stolen (Score:3, Informative)
If you're really that paranoid, just use the stinking cable lock, and hide the hard drive somewhere (it shouldn't need much ventilation). If someone really wants to steal your stuff, they're going to steal it unless you bolt a safe to the floor. But I would follow the advice of the other people here by either getting a new job, easing up on the paranoia, or quit throwing a hissy because you lost your office/got demoted.
Re:My workplace is so honest... (Score:2, Informative)
What condensation? (Score:5, Informative)
But...
If the only thing in his fridge is his laptop, there won't be any moisture in there anyway.
Even if he puts lettuce or some other unsealed moisture-providing item into the fridge, the HOTTEST thing in the fridge, and thus the last thing to get any condensation, is going to be the laptop.
And, in general...
You don't see condensation IN a fridge. Go open your fridge now and tell me how many items in there have condensation on them. Maybe none?
It's when you take your items OUT of the fridge that moisture condenses onto them, since they are colder than the air they are in.
So, really, no condensation worries, as long as he doesn't take the laptop out of a cold fridge.
So? Let them steal it... ON CAMERA! (Score:3, Informative)
Oh, and in the off-hand chance someone takes your laptop, just pull up the video/stills from the network and you'll have all the evidence you need to get the thief fired. Just print out the images, and take a nice little stroll down to HR...
Re:Never dealt with that sort of problem (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Physical and logical security (Score:3, Informative)
They do not stop thieves. I've seen a demonstration where the t-bar is prised out of the laptop in under 5 seconds with a screwdriver. Yes, the plastic case of the laptop around the lockhole will be damaged, but other than that, the laptop will be fine.
All the advertising blurb about the strength of the cable is nonsense, the weak point on all laptop security cables is the anchor which is just a hole cut in plastic.
They are good for keeping honest people honest, but are useless for protecting your laptop from a thief with a screwdriver.
Re:serious sarcasm answer (Score:3, Informative)
MultiAlarm, which plays an extremely annoying high-pitched sound file - 175.95$
Getting your laptop smashed by a sledgehammer after your friendly co-worker accidently moved it - Priceless!
First, it only plays the annoying sound file if you select that option, which is not the interesting one here.
Second, $175.95? I remember downloading it for free. What on Earth are you talking about?
Re:Never dealt with that sort of problem (Score:2, Informative)
It's the cleaning crew (Score:3, Informative)
[off-topic point] -- How are you connecting from home, i.e. are you using a company machine or your own? Don't use your own personal equipment to connect to the company network. Being a slash-dotter you're probably smart enough to keep a system virus-free, but there's always that rare zero-day exploit that could slip into the company via your machine - points off for you. Or someone else connecting from home who is less careful could introduce malware into the company network. After that is cleaned up, which will cost a lot of time and money, management will want the IT/Security dept to perform a binary colonoscopy on every personal PC ever connected to the network, and for HR to institute a policy stating: "connecting a non-company computer to the company network is grounds for termination". NOTE: A similiar policy is in place where I work.
Re:serious sarcasm answer (Score:3, Informative)
Re:No kidding! (Score:3, Informative)
It's secure and still usable.
http://www.loxit.com/claptop.htm?gclid=CNbJ8-KxqJICFQxOMAodM21gLw [loxit.com]
Wow. (Score:2, Informative)
Take the laptop home with you at night if you are that worried about it, and lock everything else up in a file cabinet or desk drawer. If the company won't let you take the laptop home- then why the hell are you worried about someone else taking it? What's the point of even having a laptop if you can't take it with you? If you back things up to a USB drive- take that with you if you can. At least if it does get ripped off- you will still have your data.
If you have to leave it- just get a cable lock and lock your Windows desktop before you go. If you want higher security, and have access- lock it up in the server room or a wiring closet. You can still keep it powered on and connected to the network there.
It's also always a good idea to password protect your laptop's HDD and BIOS. Sure- there are ways to bypass them, but several layers of security are always better than just one. As another layer- encrypt your NTFS data. Be sure to save the encryption key somewhere (like on a thumb drive at home), or you are screwed if Windows crashes and you have to re-install. You can also use any of a variety of encryption programs, like TrueCrypt.
Take it home (Score:2, Informative)
Not long, my company suffered an after-hours break-in in which internal card-key protected doors were forced open with pry bars, and a number of laptops stolen. At least one of them was on a cable lock. According to the internal email about the incident, the thieves simply tore the cable lock from the computer and took it. Apparently, they either thought it could be fenced even with the cable lock hole broken, or intended it for personal use. Policy on notebook computers - that you should either take them home or lock them in your overhead bin at night - was reiterated in the wake of this incident. Door security was also improved after the horse had left the barn
A ventilated metal box would offer more security than a cable lock, however, in the event of an after-hours break-in, anyone who really wants your computer is going to get it out of the box, or take the whole box. An overhead bin is more secure because there's no easy way to tell if there's a laptop inside, unlike with the box you describe. It would be pretty obvious the box contained a laptop, and probably a valuable one; why else go to such lengths to protect it? That could make yours a more attractive target to a thief with time.
Taking it home with you is really the most secure option. In the break-in at my company, my MacBook Pro was not one of the ones stolen because I *always* take it home at night. Being paranoid, uh, I mean "security-conscious" during the day I lock it to my desk with a cable lock, especially since I sit pretty near a stairway door.