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I don't usually subscribe to conspiracy theories but cannot help wondering why the likes of Toshiba, Compaq, Dell and other big names in laptop computers don't fit better security to these portable computers. It may be that additional computer security will increase the retail price - some would say that one stolen laptop computer equals one insurance claim on a 'new for old' basis and the victim of the laptop computer theft gets the latest model - very nice indeed, if you have a cheap old banger with no data!

A friend of mine is a serving police officer and we were discussing the theft of laptop computers, he recalled an article relating to Thames Valley Police and an initiative they had embarked upon to reduce computer crime in both theft of data information and the laptop itself. Unlike car theft where in most cases the vehicle is worth more than its contents, the information, data and indeed software can easily out weigh the value of the laptop computer. So in the majority of cases, the real loss is not in the laptop computer but business to which it is used.

I learned that over 8,100 Laptops were reported stolen in the Thames Valley Police area during 2001.That is a staggering amount for one region in the UK. The crime is also self propagating because as more employers provide portable PC's to staff, the more exposed they become to crime and more likely to become victims.

There is rarely just one victim after the theft of a laptop computer, the user is the first victim, followed by the owner - in the case of a company providing a laptop computer to an employee. The laptop may contain work belonging to many clients who also become victims.

A Laptop is highly desirable to thieves who realise that like mobile phones, they are easy to steal, easy to access and most importantly easy to sell.

Laptops can be stolen from anywhere; vehicles, homes, offices, in the street, at the airport, dock or harbour, on the train or as we walk from office to office, in restaurants, pubs and indeed fast food cues. For a laptop user the PC Immobiliser from Chirson provides a 'barrier' prior to completion of the systems 'boot up'. If your unique 'iButton' is not in the port the PC just locks the screen and keyboard and prevents any further access. If your 'iButton' is in the port the PC boots as normal, you don't even know it's there!

"The theft of Laptop Computers continues to be a serious problem due to their high desirability. In our police area alone in the last 12 months over 8000 laptops have been stolen, of these 3000 were stolen from vehicles. The Chirson immobiliser is a piece of technology that reduces the value of the stolen laptop by restricting access to the database, making it less desirable. It also incorporates a clear warning that the equipment will be rendered useless, this reduces the motive to steal it in the first place". Barry Keane CH/INSP Thames Valley Police, Business Crime Centre

Normally you would have to turn the PC off and hope that no one can guess your password or may be fail to do so because you don't want to look like you don't trust anyone. With the Chirson PC immobiliser you can simply leave your PC running and just remove your button to prevent access to your PC. The button can fit to accessories such as your key fob.

Chirson offer a 'Reward for Return' scheme. Each system is provided with a special Tamper Evident Label to be affixed to either the Desktop PC or the Lid of the Laptop computer. The label destructs into tiny pieces if it is removed.

Administrators centrally program and issue a pre-programmed iButton to their users. The user does not know their password, so it cannot be copied, lost, compromised or forgotten.

Each users profile is stored in a Java applet running inside the crypto barrier of the Java-powered Button. Once the user logon credentials are read LO2K software swiftly passes the encrypted user profile to the WIN2000 Server automatically granting the user logon to their machine. No more typing user name/passwords for logon.

As an additional security measure an individual PIN number can be centrally assigned to the user for two-factor authentication. i.e. Have something (iButton), know something (PIN Number)

The common problem of lost or forgotten passwords can be eradicated as the iButton protects its data from hacking and the password does not need to be reset every 30 days. This removes the need for Network administrators to waste valuable time and resources dealing with support calls for forgotten passwords, or even worse a user writing their password on a Post-It Note and leaving it next to their PC!

The Java iButton is one of the worlds least counterfeitable devices known to man, and has been certified to FIPS 140-1 Level 3 for security. This is a device that has been tested by the National Institute of Standards & Technology for the USA and also the Communications Security Establishment for the Government of Canada.

Administrators can be safe in the knowledge that a user can be identified by the fact that they have an individual iButton that is their personal property and responsibility coupled with a unique PIN number for network access.

Your concern, like mine would naturally be how secure this Java-powered iButton really is. Chirson say; "The National Institute of Standards (NIST) and the Canadian Security Establishment (CSE) have validated a version of the Java-powered iButton for protection of sensitive, unclassified information.

FIPS 140-1 validation assures government agencies that the products provide a trusted, physically secure module to properly protect secure information.

As a starting point for the iButton's extraordinary security, the stainless steelcase of the device provides clear visual evidence of tampering.The monolithic chip includes up to 200K of SRAM that is specially designed so that it will rapidly erase its contents as a tamper response to an intrusion. Rapid erasing of the SRAM memory is known as zeroization. Any attempts to uncover the private keys within the SRAM are thwarted because attackers have to both penetrate the iButton's barriers and read its contents in less than the time it takes to erase its private keys. Specific intrusions that result in zeroization include: Opening the case, Removing the chip's metallurgical, bonded substrate barricade, Micro-probing the chip, Subjecting the chip to temperature extremes.

In addition, if excessive voltage is encountered, the sole I/O pin is designed to fuse and render the chip inoperable.
As a further security measure, the cryptographic iButton contains a True Time Clock that is a tamper-evident real-time clock. "True Time" differs from real time in that a reputable agent sets it and its time cannot be reset and is forever increasing. This clock can be used to time stamp transactions. It can also be used to impose expiration dates for inspection intervals, whereby the iButton is required to periodically check in with a host.

As a further security measure, the cryptographic iButton contains a True Time Clock that is a tamper-evident real-time clock. "True Time" differs from real time in that a reputable agent sets it and its time cannot be reset and is forever increasing. This clock can be used to time stamp transactions. It can also be used to impose expiration dates for inspection intervals, whereby the iButton is required to periodically check in with a host.

The Java-powered iButton is among the least counterfeitable devices ever made by man. In response to tampering, the Java-powered iButton would rather erase the key than reveal its secrets. Would-be thieves cannot copy what they do not know - the private key.

The iButton is highly reliable with over 27 million being used in the world, and over half of those being worn by people. It's design ensures that connection to the PC is both simple and positive in action.

It's design ensures that connection to the PC is both simple and positive in action. The iButton is placed in the Blue Dot receptor, which is good for 1 million 'Hot' contacts. The PC then polls the iButton for it's unique ID verifying access to your PC. If the button is not in place the PC automatically goes into secure mode where the keyboard and Screen are lock up. The Blue dot receptor is spring loaded therefore you do not have to worry about the button falling out, or not being in securely.

Try to bend the iButton: you can't. Drop it on the floor. Step on it. Forget to take it off while you go swimming. No problem. The sturdy button signet has been wear-tested for 10-year durability and 1 million hot contacts to the Blue Dot receptor. "

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