How can failed logon wipe hard drive

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Guest

I work in an IT department and we support a lot of laptops. We take all the
usual steps to protect the machines. We have been lucky and none have been
stolen yet.

The question is can a program be installed on high security laptops that
will wipe the hard drive after "X" number of failed logons?

If so how?
 
Are you asking "can I do that" or "can somebody else do that"?

You can probably do that, but I am not aware of any particular program
to recommend. Sounds kind of severe, no? I mean, completely erasing the
hard disk? That type of high security is not commonly available
commercially.

Can someone else plant a program on a laptop to do that? These days,
probably true.
 
I am asking how I can configure a laptop to do this.

Or what program is available to do this.

I am aware of the consequense.
 
I work in an IT department and we support a lot of laptops. We take all
the
usual steps to protect the machines. We have been lucky and none have
been
stolen yet.

The question is can a program be installed on high security laptops that
will wipe the hard drive after "X" number of failed logons?

If so how?
Click to expand...

Why do you need the entire drive wiped? If it's a high-security system then
all files should be adequately encrypted. If not then anyone who know's what
they're doing can already access this data without logging on.
 
SteveP said:
I am asking how I can configure a laptop to do this.

Or what program is available to do this.

I am aware of the consequense.
Click to expand...
You might have a hard time getting XP to commit suicide.
Jim
 
You might have a hard time getting XP to commit suicide.

Yes, but you can certainly shoot and cripple it (which has little to do with
data protection however)
 
A better idea would be something that sent a traceable packet to you every
time it was connected to the Internet. That way (by tracing the phone
connection used with the ISP's help) you might actually get it back, and get
the crook (or his customer) put where he belongs.

Truecrypt should answer your needs to protect sensitive data. The chances of
Truecrypted data being cracked are very small.
 
SteveP said:
I work in an IT department and we support a lot of laptops. We
take all the usual steps to protect the machines. We have been
lucky and none have been stolen yet.

The question is can a program be installed on high security laptops
that will wipe the hard drive after "X" number of failed logons?

If so how?
Click to expand...

In general - I know of nothing designed to do this...
You could create a partition, some scripts, etc - that would do something
like that.

However - if *I* were to steal a laptop (I wouldn't) - I would use an
imaging software to completely copy the hard drive (never really booting the
thing to Windows) and see if I could browse the data inside said image...
If so - I am done with that part - can reinstall it with whatever hacked
software I want and sell it at a pawn shop/ebay/keep it/give it
away/whatever.

Also - I might just go ahead and boot up with another CD/tool and change the
administrators password or maybe even try to create a new administrator.
Then I could log in as that user and see what else I could browse through on
this system.
 
I work in an IT department and we support a lot of laptops. We take all the
usual steps to protect the machines. We have been lucky and none have been
stolen yet.

The question is can a program be installed on high security laptops that
will wipe the hard drive after "X" number of failed logons?

If so how?
Click to expand...

While the solution you ask for is not available from any source I know
of, there are several sources that encrypt the drive and require a boot
password before you can load the OS/Use the drive. So, if the idea is to
prevent access to the drive if an unauthorized user tries to access it,
the full drive encryption products might resolve your need.
 
I think I have an answer for you.

Do you remember Mission Impossible? No, not the movie...the original
television series. Remember "This tape will self-destruct in 5 seconds"?

That's what you need.
 
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