<div dir="ltr">Agreed!<br><br>To play the ever-popular security analogy game, if burglars can be deterred with mere signs saying "Premises protected by Acme Faultless Alarm Company", why not be happy if laptop thieves can be deterred by an actual product, albeit one which is not (and is not billed as) a panacea. <br>
<br>Maybe the threat model that matters more is the one in which the hardware, not the data, is being targeted. In that case, measures to protect the hardware make sense. Of course, where the data are central -- as with controls against loss of PII -- a measure such as this would be inappropriate.<br>
<br>Chris<br><br>P.S. On the 'engraving' point, I can remember the police suggesting that one engrave ones SSN on items of high value and high portability, such as tools and bikes. Times have changed :^)<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On Thu, Jul 17, 2008 at 11:57 AM, Rosenquist, Matthew <<a href="mailto:matthew.rosenquist@intel.com">matthew.rosenquist@intel.com</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
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<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">We may be missing the bigger point, as security is both
technical as well as behavioral.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Yes, it is obvious this technology in its current state can
easily be undermined by a determined attacker. But will it be a deterrence?
Will it affect the casual laptop theft? Will it give pause to people
buying questionable laptops at the flea markets or from shady vendors?
Will it make laptops less attractive targets to thieves looking for any means
of a quick buck? Can it effect the resale economy of such 'hot'
merchandise? Will it give employees a second thought about swiping extra
equipment for personal use? Maybe. This technology increases the risk
of being caught. If so, it will have an overall positive benefit.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">We all know an effective security program does not need to
provide real security. We have locks on our home doors which are a joke
to anyone who has the intention of getting into your house. But it does help.
It thwarts opportunistic attacks where the thief is looking for the path of
least resistance to reach their goals. If your house is locked and the
next house is not, then there is a good chance your neighbor will be the one victimized.
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">I see this technology, which could be evolved into something
great eventually, as similar to engraving laptops with "Property of XXX
company" or something obviously not easily resold or used in the open.
It is a deterrent and lowers the target-attractiveness factor. I don't
have any data handy, but last I read, most laptops are not stolen for their
data. Rather it is a hardware itself which is valued. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p><div><p style=""><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"></span></p>
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