Stolen computer

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jim
  • Start date Start date
J

Jim

Someone stole a computer from our offices which
was "locked" via the "control-alt-delete" button command
available in Windows 2000 Professional software. Need to
know if thief can access the data in anyway. I've been
told that he/she can't use the computer without
reformating it first thereby destroying the data on the
computer. Please advise ASAP. Thanks.
 
Unless the data was encrypted they can pull the drive out,
pop it in another computer, and view the data.
 
Jim said:
Someone stole a computer from our offices which
was "locked" via the "control-alt-delete" button command
available in Windows 2000 Professional software. Need to
know if thief can access the data in anyway.
Probably.

I've been
told that he/she can't use the computer without
reformating it first thereby destroying the data on the
computer.
Click to expand...

Reformatting a computer like that is probably the easiest method of setting
up the *computer* to be used again as if it were a new computer, yes. But
thats not what you need to know is it, you are interested in your data.

Unless you've taken steps beyond the default to protect your data (e.g.
using EFS or suchlike) then if someone took that computer to me i'd be
reading your data in 5 mins tops. It is very difficult indeed to secure data
on a computer when the person you are trying to keep out has unrestricted
physical access.

Sorry :-(

--
 
Consider your data compromised. Once you have physical access to the machine
there are many methods to get the data without formatting anything. They
wouldn't even have to reinstall the OS, there are password recovery disks
available on the internet to reset the admin password with a floppy disk and
then a reboot and there in. All data would then be open to the
administrator.
 
Well jim. From my knowledge, he/she can access the data on
the PC. That is if he/she fixes the Hard disk to another
PC which run Win2k or Xp.

Cos, win2k and XP runs on NTFS partitions and if the
person fixes the hard disk as a secondary drive on another
PC, he/she can access to the data on the stolen PC.

Gaffoor
Sri Lanka
 
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