Questions tagged [physical]
The use of physical measures (such as locks and tamper-proofing) or policies (such as Clean Desk) in order to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access.
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Credential leaking while unconscious [closed]
Bear with me here, because this admittedly sounds nutty, but I had a dream last night in which I distinctly recall (accurately) typing the master password for my password manager into a (dream) ...
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Keyboards that do not retain heat to prevent thermal imaging of key presses?
Some of you may be aware of the Flir One Pro that turns your smartphone into a thermal imaging camera.
This can easily be used irresponsibly:
If we can get you out the room in under 60 seconds (...
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Do dial locks have repeated numbers?
Can dial locks, such as the one below, have repeated numbers in their combination? For example, the combination 10-39-10 has the number 10 repeated twice in it. If so how often is this the case?
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Evidence of any large scale data breaches from lack of physical security?
You see far-fetched Hollywood examples of the most unlikely scenario's resulting in a data breach due to a lack of physical security. An example is in Mr Robot where the protagonist gets into a data ...
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Electronic store security [closed]
Iam not sure if this is the right place to ask this question. I would like to know what security features an electronic store should have besides the general alarm system monitored by a security ...
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Does Android have no protection against malicious public USB ports?
I was reading a bunch of news articles which asked not to charge phone using public USB ports as they could be malicious.
According to the web pages, the USB wires carry data and power so they have ...
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Found my iPhone 6 somewhat open (possibly right after airport security), what (if anything) might have been done to it?
I was traveling by air very recently, and once I got home I noticed that the button on my iPhone 6 seemed to be more deeply recessed. After a while I realized that this did not make any sense ...
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What are the physical security features that prevent the cryptographic data on a SIM card being read?
In his excellent answer to "How does a SIM card prevent cloning?", user Lie Ryan explains that SIM cards have their critical data stored in "tamper proof housing", protected by "physical security ...
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Security Chipsec [closed]
Is it right to believe that if the Chipsec scan, Malwarebytes Anti Rootkit scan and Tdsskiller all come clean, your computer OS and hardware are all clean with no malware, rootkit, Rat or anything ...
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Use WiFi tracking to identify burglars
Recently I had the following idea.
I live in a rural area where few people pass in front of our house. Burglars like such areas, because the chance of being seen breaking into a house is small.
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Has the hard drive been accessed or computer hacked? [closed]
How do I find out if someone who had access to my laptop, accessed the
hard drive manually (by taking it out of the laptop and copying or
viewing the data)?
I know there is the Windows audit ...
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Data Diodes and TCP traffic
Data diodes (one-way networks) are often used to effect a hardware based 'air-gap' for high security sites. How do they deal with protocols, such as TCP, that require replys?
I have some inclination ...
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Value of Physical Security Vulnerabilities to an Attacker
A common trope in cyberpunk fiction is the necessity of physical access to a networked machine in order to execute an attack--the brilliant hacker has to hire a team of meatspace criminals (or vice ...
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What is hardware security?
I guess hardware security refers to the security of it's firmware, but the firmware is just software, so why do we call it hardware security?
If I am wrong, can anyone explain what is hardware ...
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Why is iPhone's internal storage so hard to crack/decrypt?
I’ve heard about a rule in Information Security, that once a hacker has access to your physical machine, then it’s all over. However, there seems to be a big exception to this rule: iPhones.
It was ...
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Any concern for not locking or even closing the rack door inside private cage of DataCenter?
Recently, a customer asks for not closing and not locking his rent rack inside a cage of data center, is there any reason to reject his request due to security reason?
Since the rack is inside ...
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Is there a standard recommending physical destruction of a machine?
I had a discussion with a customer who requires the physical destruction of the PC (a standard laptop) which is holding their data. After clarification, they mean the destruction of the entire laptop, ...
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Modern Data diodes for High security
I have read data diodes are often used where high security is needed, like in military or critical infrastructures. However, most are UDP based. Modern diodes do support TCP protocol like SMTP, ...
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Product Verification System [closed]
I'm thinking about a system that will allow my end users to verify their products with the manufacture key/imei number.
I'm planning to check that key against my information saved in server and let ...
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How to enter sensitive information securely?
I'm interested in finding out what is the best method to enter sensitive information somewhere given an insecure computer.
Granted, I know that if the computer has a keylogger or some other malware ...
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Why does one need a strong password on Unix?
SSH Server: I only allow public-key authentication.
Malicious Software: If it's running as my user it has access to my data and an internet connection, it's bad enough already. Yes, su access would ...
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Full disk encryption and disk removal
Suppose a full-disk-encrypted computer with hot-swappable hard drives is powered on (i.e. decrypted at boot by a trusted user) but is screen-locked.
In such a case, if an attacker with physical ...
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Is a parcel letterbox based on a tracking code secure?
I'm making a parcel letterbox. I'm including a barcode scanner that scans the tracking code of the package. The way of entry is simple: by scanning a barcode that's in a list on a local server (which ...
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Could it be possible to hijack physical finger prints in digital form and use them to gain access to other devices and locations?
With more and more devices accepting finger prints in place of passwords, could it be possible to "keylog" these finger prints on mobile devices, for example, by installing a rogue application and ...
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SSH access during manufacturing
What are security pros and cons if we have to enable SSH access during the manufacturing of the device (i.e. Fire Alarm Control Panel)? It is a manufacturer requirement.
SSH access will be disabled ...
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Is it possible to create a false charger that drains a device's power?
Inspired by the idea of the USB Killer, I was wondering if it'd be possible to create a device that, when plugged into a mobile phone/laptop/whatever charging port, drains the charge of said device ...
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How could I be sure that the network cable is safe to use?
There are Cat 5 network cables in the office going from some rooms to some other rooms through the walls and the ceiling.
The office belonged to another company in the past, which means that there is ...
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Securing a LAN that has multiple exposed external Cat 6 cable runs?
We're evaluating putting in an IP-based CCTV system for a third-party upcoming project (part of a wider networking project). The CCTV system is cabled as follows: Cat 6 running from each external ...
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How can the Magic SysRq key be dangerous for linux users?
The magic SysRq key is known for linux users to perform some actions when the system freeze , but it considered as dangerous command for users who have a physical access to the system:
Some ...
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Are my home keys compromised if I use a key duplication machine?
Given that if someone has physical access to your home keys for enough time to take a picture of them, you've already lost, what stops key duplication machines such as MinuteKey from taking pictures ...
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How hard is it to read MCU ram while running?
I know it's possible (but rather hard as it involves using acid on the chip) to read flash memory from a MCU. However how hard is it to read the ram of an MCU while it is running? Corrollary question ...
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Disk write-protection at the hardware level
A friend told me about a hardware piece which protects the hard drive from saving changes made to it, so that when the computer is rebooted it remains the same as it was the last time. Does such a ...
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How to synchronize a laptop with mobile phone so as to rack the login details of laptop if laptop is not connected to network?
I want to detect where my stolen laptop is. If I synchronize the laptop with mobile phone using bluetooth so that when I login to my system it sends an alert message to my phone. f Now the issue is if ...
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Is it safe to give credit card information by email?
I had hired a shipping company and now they want me to send my Visa Card information by email to pay them. The method of payment was never discussed prior to them shipping my boxes. They did a good ...
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What measures exist to protect against an attacker "forcing employees to comply"
Do any measures exist to protect against the kind of attack depicted in this XKCD, and does this kind of attack have a name?
Basically I'm referring to a criminal threatening violence against a ...
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Store Virus/Keylogger on hardware component?
Is it possible to store a virus or key logger or something of that kind on a hardware that transmits data?
I have recently bought a USB from Aliexpres and there is a bump on the cable, I did some ...
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Handwriting/cursive education is on the decline. How does this affect signature-based authentication?
More and more schools are not teaching cursive handwriting, and many are considering it more of an art, or optional in the curriculum.
I assume this will have an impact on the ability to forge a ...
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What security considerations should I keep in mind when setting up home automation using IFTTT?
My next personal project is going to be setting up some basic home automation for my parents (not very tech savvy but have a potential to learn). This involves some thermostat, lighting and ...
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Any solutions out there to counter shoulder surfing?
I'm talking about an unknown or undetected physical presence who may be looking over your shoulder as you view or type in sensitive information or passwords. Most likely to happen when you are ...
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Is PIN affective security for credit cards considering it's not always needed?
This question asked about how having a PIN is safer than signing the receipt when doing a credit card transaction (personally the question makes no sense to me as it's just a scientific fact that a ...
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Everykey (Bluetooth master key) - is it really secure? [closed]
Obligatory disclosure I have no relation to the Everykey company and do not mean to promote them in any way.
I came across the product Everykey that claims to be "your only key" by allowing you to ...
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Difference between local and physical attack vector in CVSS version 3?
In CVSS version 3, there are four different attack vectors. I am not able to differentiate between local and physical.
Say, if I want to report "absence of logout button" I will use physical as ...
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What medium for storing full-disk encryption keys is easy-to-use as well as easy-to-destroy?
If I were to frequently work on sensitive data on a LUKS partition and wanted to be able to quickly destroy the keys to it, I figure it would make sense to—
encrypt that partition with a key file,
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Secure USB cable for charging in untrusted environments
On a long haul flight, I imagine that charging a phone (in flight mode) with the inbuilt USB port on the head rest would be a security risk.
Could I mitigate that risk by taking a regular USB cable ...
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Can confidential data be gotten from a "hibernation file"? [duplicate]
When a computer hibernates, AFAIK a copy of the RAM is saved into a file on disk.
Is this a potential security flaw, knowing someone can take the disk and read the RAM freely?
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Can I repair a cut-through credit card?
On many cards there's the instruction to, if found, cut it in two pieces and mail them to some address. I'm wondering a bit about the security of this and if I could recover some data.
It's not ...
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How can I check if someone tampered with the CCTV footage or system?
Recently I was staying in a hotel and I had some very important belongings stolen there in the hotel which is definite. The problem is that no one entered my room after I left the room (2 times for ...
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How is 'Removing RAM' a security risk?
Today I was watching a video on 'Ethical Hacking' where, while discussing hardware attacks, the narrator said:
Removing RAM or components from a desktop or a laptop
Here's a screenshot:
I ...
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Crash a computer using waves or similar techniques?
I am trying to prevent a potential attack, by first learning how to perform it.
Pretend there is a cheap £20 - £50 computer, which an attacker with physical access to wishes to crash. This computer ...
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Windows security & data protection
I work for a hotel. The hotel stores a MySQL database online. This database only contains a Reference ID, number of nights and so on, but no private data. No names, no personal information on guests. ...
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