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Frustrated · LXF regular Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 1:19 pm Posts: 201

In todays Mail on line there is an article about a Yank recovering his laptop by using hidden.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1393117/Burglary-victim-remotely-controls-stolen-laptop-photograph-thief--hands-image-police-arrest-him.html

Is there an equivalent available to Linux users ?
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PCNetSpec · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 12:37 pm Post subject:

Take a look at Prey:
http://preyproject.com/

More info here:
http://www.unixmen.com/linux-tutorials/1418-prey-an-awesome-application-to-track-your-stolen-laptop-and-android-phone-linux
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bobthebob1234 · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 12:48 pm Post subject:

Has anyone used this? I am seriously considering this for my two laptops and phone
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MartyBartfast · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 1:22 pm Post subject:

It would be relatively easy to script someting using http://sourceforge.net/projects/motion/

however as someone pointed out in a discussion on this subject over at The Register, when someone nicks your lappy and finds it's got Linux on it the chances are the first thing they'll do is stick Windows on it and any S/W you installed will most be gone, so you'd only have a very small window of opportunity to get any pictures from it.
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PCNetSpec · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 3:49 pm Post subject:

I'm sorry to say I agree with that... Linux is highly likely to be wiped petty quickly.

There may however be a window of opportunity where curiosity gets the better of them... but only if you have auto login enabled, otherwise they will feel *forced* to wipe it.

If they have knowledge of single user mode to skirt the login/password, I would think they are likely to spot the software anyway.
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nelz · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 4:04 pm Post subject:

Disable CD/USB booting and lock the BIOS with a password. Then lock the GRUB menu with a password and the thief will not be able to boot into single user mode or install Windows.
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MartyBartfast · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 4:12 pm Post subject:

Of course if you're really concerned about keeping your data safe you'll have the disk encrypted, in which case the perp won't be able to boot the system either, so any S/W installed on it won't get a chance to run whichever OS it is.
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bobthebob1234 · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 5:47 pm Post subject:

or you could just bolt the device concerned to you hand...

or put a small to large amount of explosives in, connected to a sim card. Then if the device is stolen, phone the sim card and watch the news to find where a laptop exploded and bam, caught and probably punished the thief as well. Very Happy

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For certain you have to be lost to find the places that can't be found. Elseways, everyone would know where it was

lok1950 · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2011 6:26 pm Post subject:

Open Season on Data Diverters Very Happy

then where's the kaboom as an other member's sig suggests perhaps new Bio-ID tech married to our portable toys is the way forward.

Enjoy the Choice Smile

nelz · Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 12:49 am Post subject:

MartyBartfast · Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 10:41 am Post subject:

nelz · Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 11:37 am Post subject:

How do you boot if the whole disk is encrypted? The only way I can think of doing that is to have /boot on a separate device.

That would actually be a pretty secure system, requiring a USB stick to boot, although it would mean anyone could format the disk by booting from something like a System Rescue stick.
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"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." (Albert Einstein)

MartyBartfast · Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 11:41 am Post subject:

Bazza · Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 12:12 pm Post subject:

Hi nelz...

> Doesn't everyone use an encrypted /home on their laptop?

Nope!

> Not doing so is the equivalent of leaving your keys in the ignition.

As everything I use my computer for is either PD, GPL, MIT etc, then
why do I need to encrypt my /home?

I don't do any private transactions using any of my computers so no
need for paranoia to set it on me.
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nelz · Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2011 2:14 pm Post subject:

You don't read email on it, or visit any web sites that require a login?
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