Have you used truecrypt?

I'm curious if anyone here has used truecrypt (actually, i know there are some, this is just a good question to get people talking).

I know that the file encryption works well, and doesn't slow down the computer much at all.
I want to know if anyone here has tried the whole OS encryption, and how well it worked for them.

let it rip:

 

We use Truecrypt to protect all of our PCs.

It is an amazing product and well worth the time to get it working.

The only gripe I have is that there's not currently any way to encrypt the boot volume on our Mac systems.

 

Yep! it worked excellent! But if u have an TPM-Chip inside ur Toughbook, u can also use this variant to secure the data on ur HDD.

 

since i'm paranoid like hell i use a double encryption. one that encrypts the system drive itself and one ghost volume. works great, i used a picture as the key file and i works fine. and no it doesnt slow it down much. i cant notice a difference in performance. im running the same setup on a laptop (sig) and on a desktop.

 

Cool!

But I have a slightly, older, slower TB.

CF29 MK1
Centrino 1.2 ghz
768mb Ram (one day, I'll upgrade to 1.25gb)

I wonder how mine would fair? Another day, soon, like when I have time, I'm going to play around with a 120gb drive I have lying here. I'll give it a shot, since it sounds like it's not a terrible performance thief...

Hey, onirakkiss:
So, if I utilize the tpm, then the drive can only be used in my toughbook (with my specific TPM chip in it)

 

I use it but on specific folders, not the entire machine. I think that's overkill.

 

What I really want to do is a ghost OS. Like this:

Open it up,
input password
select my actual OS
go on about my day...

Thief (or unauthorized person) opens it up
doesn't know password
forced to login to unencrypted OS
and go on about thier day.... while I use a program to login and find my friggin stolen notebook (internal GPS)(yes, I know gps doesn't work so well inside).... (it's not actually stolen, but I'm paranoid).

I know about those subscription services that do it for you, but I'm paranoid, and don't want other people tracing my location (I know, like I said, I'm paranoid).

Also, what would be more satisfying than kicking in some thief's door, and issuing the beating of thier lives, right before you recover your TB?

 

well in some places its necessary. especially here in europe. there are things you dont want the authorities to see. like my download folder for example
but i guess you have a point. once those morons impound your laptop, you'll never get it to work again. they'll probably kill the hard drive while they "examine" it. so encryption or not they wont have anything .

OT: i saw a laptop that went trough the swedish police IT-crime department. they managed to disassemble it without loosening any screws. it was a terrible sight i might add...

 

My primary objectives are as follows:

1.Don't let it get stolen: I keep it locked down (I know it's not the best, but I keep it in a web273 dock, locked, as well as locked in my van)

2. If it does get stolen/unauthorized access, I want to keep my firefox passwords, history, personal/business files, etc, secure.

2.5 At the same time, I want it to be easy for the crook to use my laptop, while it attempts to contact me, or allow me to silently log in, and use the gps to pinpoint a location (I'm also looking into ip locating), while also restricting installation of programs on the notebook (I don't have anything but windows firewall to prevent programs from accessing the net (which WFW doesn't do anyway)), and I don't want the would be thief to install Norton INS, which would then notify them of the program/block it's access....

I think too much about the wrong crud.

 

According to your system's info it does not have the TPM chip:

CF-29CWKGZDM
Pentium M 1.2GHz (Centrino), 13.3" Transmissive touch screen, 40GB HDD, 256 MB RAM, 56K/LAN, FDD, Intel PRO Wireless LAN, backlit keyboard, WIN 2000

 

That was a question I didn't want to ask. Did you find that out from my model number (that you had found and posted in my very first thread)? There is a TPM choice in bios, but it's greyed out.
So, no TPM chip, huh?

 

You "copy-n-paste" your complete Model Number ( CF-29CWKGZDM) into the search box on:

http://www.config.toughbook.com/

It will give you the specific configuration for that Model Number.

Clicking the "CPU - Security Chip" drop-down box will reveal that the TPM chip did not appear until the "N" model Toughbooks with the 1.6GHz processor.

 

ooh, ooh.....

i use ubuntu w/ firefox on my desktop. now that i (almost have to) run xp on my 29, I can go check (even though I don't use the bass tard software MSIE)...

EDIT
I only get a "form processed" returned on the page

 

We've had these security questions before... Personally I have an H&K 9mm USP with the TAC6 light/laser and Safariland TAC holster... That's bedside.... The shop has a Beretta 92AF... The M-16, well... We won't get into all the rest...

 

if u stop the download of the site http://www.config.toughbook.com/ after u had pressed the submit button, u can see ur configuration on the page even if u use an alternative browser
It's a little tricky ;-)

U have to set an BIOS-password additionaly to ur TPM. If someone reset the Bios(-Battery) he can not use the data of ur hdd.

 

The standard procedure for law enforcement is to create a digitally signed forensic image of the disks using a commercial tool like Encase.

Investigative work is always done on the forensic image. They never work on the original system disk (since that would break the chain of custody).

 

Jeez.... I'm not worried about legal actions against me, just security of information and privacy.

Ya'll act like I might be one of those unscrupulous characters that isn't running anything but pirated software

fckgw rhqq2 yxrkt 8tg6 (I can almost remember the whole string)

 

As for TrueCrypt, I its really a casual privacy tool. It'll keep theives from getting your info or some random person from snooping on you, but thats about it. I would imagine that if you were trying to keep something from law enforcement you wouldnt be very successful eve with Turecrypt, as they have access to computing power that you can only imagine. So if they reallly needed to get something from a hard drive, they can do it.

 

Not sure why all the opinions/post have been deleted.... I am checking into it.

 

I use truecrypt full os encryption. My reasoning is that I use my personal computer in the field but I have sensitive stuff on it for work, basically we are in the middle of NOWHERE and we are away from basecamp for days at a time. This is a precautionary measure in case somebody decided to go shopping through camp... I only used 256AES and noted no slowdown in the OS.

 

The government doesn't have magical anti-encryption technology.

The encryption algorithms in TrueCrypt are effectively unbreakable.

 

All encryption products sold throughout the world have a designed "Public" key that is available to "Government/Law Enforcement" agencys. That is part of their agreements with different Governments about the development and sale of their software.

If you research back, the program "PGP" (Pretty Good Protection) stated in introductry software messages that there was, a "Public Key" available to "Governmental Agencies" to prevent usage by "Undesirable" persons.

You can/could set your private key that keeps most "Thieves" from being able to access your information, but it will not stop "Law Enforcement/Government Agencies" from accessing your information as they have the "Public Key."

 

Please don't take this the wrong way, but you don't understand how crypto systems work.

Public/private keys are used in asymmetric cryoto algorithms. The public key is used to encrypt the data, and the private key is used to decrypt it.

You cannot decrypt a block of encrypted data using the public key.

 

Oh Rick! You sure know how to turn a guy on! Oh my, I think I need to find a moist towelette....

 

Exactly! The Public key is so that anyone can send you an encrypted message that only you can decrypt with your private key.

PGP is old hat, I use a 2-fish variant now.

 

Now THAT made me laugh out load.... I'm still laughing...

 

I would say it is too early in the day (especially for a Sunday) for you to be spewing the JD and Coke on that comment....although you never know!

I thought you might get a chuckle from that one...

 

I NEVER have Jack before 5pm.....


Thank God it is ALWAYS 5pm SOMEWHERE!

But I usually start with EST....

 

Uhm, sneaking in HIS house and USING your stolen TB to beat the TAR out of him to near death, then leaving him wonder what just happened?!!!!

 

Well heck... How about a little C4 that goes off if you type the password wrong 5 times? You just need to make sure that you wife knows NOT to use your laptop... Unless you want a quickee divorce!

(Holy Mackrel... Did I just say that? I LOVE my wife! She knows my passwords just in case she needs to let you know I have passed on due to any number of things. Toughbook malfunction, C4 installation, etc.)

How about the old briefcases in the 80s & 90s that gave a 50KV shock to the person who picked it up if they were not authorized.... That might be a little tougher....

<snicker... I KNOW someone will mod that in now!>

 

hmmm charge circuit from a disposable camera .. a few capacitors and a few electrodes ... sounds like a fun evening project.

 

Coming from someone who has a hand grenade as their avatar... I knew the famous CRAZYCanuk would chime in.

 

Sounds good. I will think about it !

 

I would think that it would be more effective directed at the electronics of the HDD, Sure the circuit board can be replaced, but that is yet another problem.

 

Actually... after seeing me build a plasma ball that ran on 12V out of a few transistors & a big clear light blub, my granddad told me of how they used to put an extra battery in the trunk of their hotrods to feed a model T coil connected between the body of the car and a chain just long enough to touch the ground at rest as "active security"...

mnem
bzzzzzBZZZZbzzzzzZZZAAAAAP!

 

Im famous ?????? crap guess I better go hide in a corner again