[Dataloss] [follow-up] Boeing fires employee whose laptop wasstolen (fwd)

[George Toft]

As we all (on this list) know, this is a trivial exercise, provided the 
laptop does not use hard drive encryption.  For those who don't know, 
here are the tools you need:
1.  Knoppix CD.
2.  USB hard drive.

I'm in the process of recovering data from a hard drive even as I write 
this.  Since I'm not using Windows, the file access markers are not 
getting updated.  The exact same technique would be used to copy a 
laptop hard drive.

For more information, the see "Knoppix Hacks" ISBN 0-596-00787-6.  It 
has a ton of hints for this type of work, including step-by-step 
instructions and the CD.

George Toft, CISSP, MSIS
My IT Department
www.myITaz.com
623-203-1760

Confidential data protection experts for the financial industry.


ziplock wrote:
> I'd like to see someone publicly volunteer, in a highly visible manner, to
> demonstrate that s/he can access data on an unknown, standard-issue
> laptop, without leaving traces.  No actual cracking would be necessary;
> once the data is copied a statement could be made that it can now be
> attacked and explored at leisure.  Perhaps if a known expert made this
> general challenge, technically aware activists could follow up with
> letters to the editor when these ridiculous claims are made by those CYA
> companies.  The activists could directly challenge the company, via the
> press (for what good would it do, if not in the public eye?), to put up or
> shut up by providing a laptop for the demo.  If the successful experiment
> itself gets any publicity, it could be used as proof of concept against
> all future similar reports.
> 
> These companies and these reporters will stick to the script until they're
> publicly challenged and proven wrong.
> 
> /z
> 
[snip]