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Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

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161–170 of 172 posts

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#161
post #7

Maybe some kind of NFC device that you could wear so that the computer would lock/unlock when you were near it ?

That would be perfect, but instead of wearing it I could have something implanted in my arm for instance; and I would definitely notice of somebody tried to steal the tag!

What do you think about biometric Voice fingerprints? Instead of voice-recognition.

.

---going further---

Then just encrypt the home folder's contents on a file-basis & sync it with a privately owned server. This improves the chances of data-recoverability on crashes or on filesystem corruption. Add a kill-switch toggle that erases all important files on the mac on 5 unsuccessful login attempts, and enables surveillance mode permanently using different tracking software (prey-project for example).

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#162

Forgive the off the cuff suggestion here, it's the quickest and simplest thing I can think of though not an optimum way to use your laptop and you're probably hoping for a more elegant solution. What if you install virtual box w/ some free OS (like ubuntu). Store all your personal information within the virtual machine which is configured with a secure login. Then you can leave the laptop unsecured so you can use you…

The Ubuntu VM's virtual hard disk is right there for the taking, though.

You could use something like TrueCrypt to encrypt the vhd/vmdk(s). How aggressively you mount/unmount the volume depends on the circumstances.

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#163
post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That would be perfect, but instead of wearing it I could have something implanted in my arm for instance; and I would definitely notice of somebody tried to steal the tag!

What do you think about biometric Voice fingerprints? Instead of voice-recognition. . ---going further--- Then just encrypt the home folder's contents on a file-basis & sync it with a privately owned server. This improves the chances of data-recoverability on crashes or on filesystem corruption. Add a kill-switch toggle that erases all important files on the mac on 5 unsuccessful login attempts, and enables surveilla…

I'm really curious about this, I would be open to doing it but I have no idea how to go about implementing something like this!

Could you expand a little or point me at some resources, that would be great thanks :-)

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#164
post #150
post #10

Here's a simple idea (lacking in specific implementation details, sorry): - Figure out how to add a text filter between DragonDictate and your system. - Program the filter to look for a special sequence, e.g. "cipher_mode" - When in cipher mode, feed characters through a simple cipher. E.g. A -> C, B -> D, etc. No passerby is going to be able to figure out what you're doing. - When the filter sees "cipher_mode" again…

If a passerby hears you say "cypher mode A Y R cypher mode" to unlock your computer, they might not figure out that your password is CAT, but they will figure out that "cypher mode A Y R cypher mode" unlocks the computer.

Obviously you'd pick a better phrase than "cipher mode".

But you make a good point. I think this approach can still work though.

- Rotate the cipher based on the current day/time, or rotate it based on the previous use.

- You could prime the next password each time you successfully login. So e.g. every time you login, you offer 3 additional letters in "clear mode", but then have to give them back in cipher mode.

I think I'd go with the last one.

The worst part about all this is that it requires custom programming.

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#165
post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you think about biometric Voice fingerprints? Instead of voice-recognition. . ---going further--- Then just encrypt the home folder's contents on a file-basis & sync it with a privately owned server. This improves the chances of data-recoverability on crashes or on filesystem corruption. Add a kill-switch toggle that erases all important files on the mac on 5 unsuccessful login attempts, and enables surveilla…

I'm really curious about this, I would be open to doing it but I have no idea how to go about implementing something like this! Could you expand a little or point me at some resources, that would be great thanks :-)

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#166
post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you think about biometric Voice fingerprints? Instead of voice-recognition. . ---going further--- Then just encrypt the home folder's contents on a file-basis & sync it with a privately owned server. This improves the chances of data-recoverability on crashes or on filesystem corruption. Add a kill-switch toggle that erases all important files on the mac on 5 unsuccessful login attempts, and enables surveilla…

I'm really curious about this, I would be open to doing it but I have no idea how to go about implementing something like this! Could you expand a little or point me at some resources, that would be great thanks :-)

There's a demo of a commercial implementation in an earlier post https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6058447

But here are opensource solutions:

http://musicbrainz.org/doc/Fingerprinting

http://echoprint.me/

http://www.politepix.com/openears/

http://cmusphinx.sourceforge.net/wiki/

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#167
post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Adversary profile precludes this vector.

I would like this as a bumper sticker/answering machine message. >Ring.... >Ring... [pickup] > "Adversary profile precludes this vector" [/hangup]

I use than SIP provider for all my telephone stuff, which gives me the ability to have menus etc.

I've now got one for "press one if you're calling me about an unbelievable sales opportunity" that gives the exact response. I have no idea if anybody has called it yet, but it's kept me laughing for the past three days!

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#168
post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm really curious about this, I would be open to doing it but I have no idea how to go about implementing something like this! Could you expand a little or point me at some resources, that would be great thanks :-)

There's a demo of a commercial implementation in an earlier post https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6058447 But here are opensource solutions: http://musicbrainz.org/doc/Fingerprinting http://echoprint.me/ http://www.politepix.com/openears/ http://cmusphinx.sourceforge.net/wiki/

Yes, I'd seen that before just didn't realise that was the term for it.

Something like that would be ideal if a system could be implemented that was reliable enough, there's always going to be some degree of false positive/negative but it would be cool otherwise.

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would like this as a bumper sticker/answering machine message. >Ring.... >Ring... [pickup] > "Adversary profile precludes this vector" [/hangup]

I use than SIP provider for all my telephone stuff, which gives me the ability to have menus etc. I've now got one for "press one if you're calling me about an unbelievable sales opportunity" that gives the exact response. I have no idea if anybody has called it yet, but it's kept me laughing for the past three days!

Could you provide some details on how you set that up? It sounds interesting!

Re: Ask HN: I'm quadriplegic – can you help me with my security?

#170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use than SIP provider for all my telephone stuff, which gives me the ability to have menus etc. I've now got one for "press one if you're calling me about an unbelievable sales opportunity" that gives the exact response. I have no idea if anybody has called it yet, but it's kept me laughing for the past three days!

Could you provide some details on how you set that up? It sounds interesting!

No problem, I first signed up for an account with SIP Centric[1], then once you've bought a phone number, you click on IVR menus in the sidebar and then it is point-and-click from there on; it really is surprisingly easy!

[1]: http://pbx.sipcentric.com/

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