-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 | Wearable encryption system 'will safeguard laptop data'. Engineers may have | developed a way to stop information on laptops from falling into the wrong | hands. The University of Michigan's Zero-Interaction Authentication system | automatically encrypts information when owners stray from their machines. | Most data encryption systems require users to actively encrypt or decrypt | their documents. The new system automates this process via a wearable | device that remains in wireless contact with the laptop. When the wearer | moves away, the radio connection is broken and all data is automatically | encrypted. Inventor Brian Noble says the technology could be embedded into | any kind of portable device. The technology, backed by Intel and Novell, | will be showcased at a computing conference in Atlanta, GA in September. | (Ananova.com, 14 Aug) | | WWU Comment. This new encryption system could prove to be a valuable tool | in the protection of confidential data. This tool could mitigate the | failure to encrypt data through oversight, and could provide additional | security, by having the private key stored in an external device, versus on | the local machine. The question that I have about "RF", is it secure? We all know how secure 802.11b is. Can you spoof this device? How many keys can be stored? Can you store data on it and how much? For less the $50 you can create auto-encrypt USB KEY now. Linux supports encrypted file systems. the only part that needs to encrypted in the "home" directories, "/etc" and "/var". By keeping the keys inside the USB memory stick and creating a auto logout using the USB daemon. you now have a system that protects data. If you really want it idiot proof, tie a string from the user to the device. Now you have a 5 or 10 foot range "depending on the length of the string". By requiring the USB device before the system will boot, using modified GRUB, and auto shutdown you can do the same things with out spending a alot of money or modifying the computer. Shaun - -- savages@private GPG = B527 8F72 BAFA D490 6B30 6885 9FA2 34E8 EA73 F975 Public key at http://www.savages.net/gpg/savages -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.0.7 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - savages@private iD8DBQE9YRavn6I06Opz+XURAoFlAJ9VQ/6OaG2eeaWc1wczk4laVGHigwCfVWKA XoM1u7hfMlzrYPEZoAecL1M= =y4g3 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
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