Daily Clerks

Enough is enough! All of these articles about someone stealing a computer or laptop that contains sensitive info or customer info is getting ridiculous. C|Net is reporting that a small bank in California was robbed and a desktop computer was stolen that contained 3,600 customer info including social security numbers.

Aside from data encryption tools, which would work if people knew how to use them or remembered to use them, is really the first step.

What happens if the computer is stolen?

Here’s my solution. There should be a special peripheral developed that is attached to the computer’s power supply and another part of the computer like the network adapter for computers that will be used for housing these types of sensitive info. Since these computers are likely to have a UPS (uninterruptable power supply) and have back up generators, the power is virtually guaranteed to be on 100% of the time. What this peripheral will do is automatically erase or destroy the harddrive when the power is interrupted and there is no data exchange with through the lan.

To make this system redundant, the mechanism that stops the hard drive from spinning when it detects a fall, should be used but in reverse. If the system detects any type of movement, it will destroy the harddrive using a battery backup for desktops and the battery power for laptops regardless if the computer is on or off.

By using any of these methods, the sensitive info on the machine will not be lost. Why not do this? Is it cost? It’s probably cheaper to make a machine like this than the repercussions of losing sensitive data.

Do it. Do IT! DO IT!

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