This $20 USB Cable Is A Dead Man's Switch For Your Laptop - 0 views
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tcale003 on 18 May 20This article is about a new inexpensive technology called a Buzz Kill Cord. It has been recently created by Michael Altfield, a Software Engineer to prevent hacking across the globe for anti-theft protection if someone steals one of your computer or phone devices. This USB cable will destroy any and all information on your device.
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Most people are familiar with the concept of a dead man's switch that, for example, activates the emergency brake should a London Underground train driver become incapacitated.
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Most people are familiar with the concept of a dead man's switch that, for example, activates the emergency brake should a London Underground train driver become incapacitated.
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Most people are familiar with the concept of a dead man's switch that, for example, activates the emergency brake should a London Underground train driver become incapacitated. There are many different technologies across multiple machines from the trains mentioned above right through to chainsaws. Unsurprisingly, laptop computers haven't been on the list until now. Software engineer and sysadmin, Michael Altfield, has created a cheap "kill cord" that can trigger a laptop to self-destruct if stolen by a snatch and grab thief. What's more, you can make your own for just $20 (£15) but there's an important caveat: this is for Linux laptops, not those running macOS or Windows.
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Most people are familiar with the concept of a dead man's switch that, for example, activates the emergency brake should a London Underground train driver become incapacitated.
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Most people are familiar with the concept of a dead man's switch that, for example, activates the emergency brake should a London Underground train driver become incapacitated.
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There are many different technologies across multiple machines from the trains mentioned above right through to chainsaws. Unsurprisingly, laptop computers haven't been on the list until now. Software engineer and sysadmin, Michael Altfield, has created a cheap "kill cord" that can trigger a laptop to self-destruct if stolen by a snatch and grab thief. What's more, you can make your own for just $20 (£15) but there's an important caveat: this is for Linux laptops, not those running macOS or Windows.
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Although laptops can crash, the consequences will likely not be as devastating as a runaway train incident. So why would anyone want a "kill cord" for their laptop? Good question, and one answered by software engineer Michael Altfield in his blog posting that describes how he made one.
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if you were doing some online banking or accessing your work network via a VPN, the opportunity to monetize the theft becomes apparent. That scenario isn't far-fetched either.
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I'm guessing nobody is sitting down at this point. Yet by using either distraction tactics or a more straightforward and violent strategy, a thief could steal your fired up and authenticated laptop in seconds. Encryption won't help much if you have authenticated and are accessing that data, or service, at the time of the snatch and grab.
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Altfield wanted an anti-theft solution that could trigger the laptop to shut down, lock, or even wipe all data in such a physical separation scenario. "I couldn’t find a low-tech solution that implements a laptop kill cord," he said, "so I decided to build one myself." The result is what Altfield calls a "BusKill" cable.