Basic DIY Security, recovery, and remote access

ok, SO I've been lookin for some detailed explanation of the bios, and can't find one. Checked the service manual, found and checked the user manual, and googled it.

Master bios password stops someone from booting from anything but the 1st defualt device, or accessing the bios, correct (but they can still boot from the 1st boot device)?

User password stops access to the bios, boot menu, or booting at all, correct?

Enabling the bios master password will enable HDD hard-disk lock? What does that mean exactly (in what ways would the hdd be secured)?

If my computer sent me an email, will the header will have the ip of my toughbook? What if it's behind a NAT (or "router")? What if it's behind a firewall?
Could I then use that IP to remote access my toughbook?
Without gotomypc or similar service that requires a 3rd party and or server?
I assume i can just tell Norton to allow whichever email program and or remote access program to have access?
What programs or keywords should I search for for that? I can't seem to find an email program for that will run and operate silently for that? (i would only need it to send an email on a specified time interval to 1 or 2 email addresses.)

I realize that some of these are just noob IT questions, and I don't necessarily need the answers, just a few points in the right directions. For everythingl I know, I'm still ignorant about many things.

Thanks in advance!

 

If you send an email the IP address that it points back to is going to be your mail server's (doesn't matter what you're behind). People within your network could access your Panasonic Toughbook using the local IP (i.e. 192.168.x.x or any of the other private ranges) and external clients could connect to your external IP, but only if you have open ports. You can set your firewall or security suite to allow specific applications, but then you may consider using a strong password for those connections as they will also be accessible to everyone else (if you're running VNC anyone who connects to your IP with the designated port will have access to the application, and could attempt to brute force the password if necessary).

 

I'm not trying to be redundant, I have said this before in other posts.

My intent is to present a user with only 2 options (which also includes a bios master password to prevent booting from cd rom or bypassing the following options).

1 Boot into my OS (call it XPmine) with a password/encryption where I can do all my activities and what not. OR

2 Boot into a separate non secure OS (call it XPopen) that automatically contacts me, somehow. Then remote access my computer, and locate it with the built in gps and or destroy my data. All without the use of a subscription, or granting access to my pc by a 3rd company which includes a backdoor they may or may not have involved in thier program.
Paranoid? Yes I am. If you're not terrified, then you're not paying attention.

I'm not worried about the computer being exposed to the world, as it would only be exposed when logged into the XPopen, which I wouldn't boot into because XPopen's sole purpose would be for security and retrieval.

So, to boil it down, how do I get my computer to contact me via the internet?
And actually, I have found a few programs that are stealth remote access, but I need to know how to get the ip...

 

So I found out,
that a bios lock on a hdd goes to the hdd's firmware, so even if you move it to another pc, you can't read the data (or write on the disk).

I'm not sure if there is anyway to access or unlock a hdd in that circumstance, if it is removed from it's notebook. On desktops, you can just clear the cmos.

This is a general bit of info, not that I found it concerning panasonic notebooks specifically.

hard-disk lock hdd lock

 

You should search the past archives... This has been discussed before.

And I know guys that want to tag their wives with "Bourne Supremacy" Remote GPS FM transmitters that transmit TV and sound from the glasses.

They are just afraid of what they will find....

Perhaps you should talk to The Company....

 

The ambiguous "they", "higher authority", "the man", and "the company" all have tea at my house on thursdays. we discuss polotics and taking over the world. So far it's going as planned...

On another note, I had contacted pwcrack.com (I have no idea if they are a reputable service or not, but they seem legit) and this is what I got:

sounds accurate to me?

 

The BIOS lock simply stops access to the internal disk. It doesn't encrypt it. You can bypass the BIOS lock by replacing the controller board on the disk with an unlocked controller board.

If you need to secure your data, use a full disk encryption system like TrueCrypt. It has no backdoors so there will be no problem if the system is lost or stolen.

Remote data wiping is a fool's errand. It takes over an hour to do a single-pass end-to-end write on a decent sized laptop hard-disk.

 

If you password protect your hard drive... And then try to move it to another model of the same type... You cannot access this. You are correct... This is stored on the drive and you will not be able to access it.

Paranoid... We all are.... I'd bring up the whole H&K 9mm again but don't want the non-USA members whining about guns...

You MAY be able to setup something like this... But I doubt it is something that you would want to publish... As then everyone knows what you are doing... And then will know how to defeat it.

 

Haha I'm right there with ya rick, if the sig p228 doesn't get em right away then the 300RUM will. Granted, after a while you get tired of filling out "accidental discharge" reports. Oh, and I'm a truecrypt user.

 

Never, Never, Never depend on ATA drive passwords for security. They can easily be cracked. If you search the internet for information, you should be able to find multiple examples of it being done in less than half an hour. (If you're using the ATA passord to lock a self encrypting drive (SED), that is a different matter. Your data is pretty safe in that case.)

 

That's it. From now on, I'm converting the entire contents of my hard drives to audio files spoken by Choctaw Code Talkers...

mnem<~~~Some tiny, nearly insignificant fraction Choctaw~~~<<<

 

HVSH AIYVLA KA ACHUKMA!

You are identifying yourself as Native American on all official documents, aren't you? :yes:

[PM for important details on this.]