Vista Security + Theft

[Guest pisquee]

I had my house broken into last night whilst at work.

Amongst the things taken was my laptop (running vista ultimate)

I am wondering how is Vista's security at locking stuff away - i.e. without my login password for windows, how accessible is my documents etc?

Everything was backed up nightly, and they didn't take the backup drives, so not so much stuff lost, more thinking about all the stuff on there that was my personal files, and some business stuff from various jobs over the years.

[Guest Monolithix]

I hate to say it, but unless you have the files encrypted with a *good* third party application (eg PGP-based or similar) anyone with a little determination will be able to reset a Windows password. As with any OS if you have physical access to the machine there isnt much you can do.

If its any comfort, i would imagine they'll probably just try and flog the laptop on, rather than snoop around anything on it!

[Guest pisquee]

Yeah, i figured they'd try and flog it on and not go looking for anything that is hard to find. They ignored so much of the other tech in my home that I know they aren't computer experts. Police reckoned it would have been nicked for drugs money. Have checked ebay, will be down to cash converters next just in case.

(5 laptops got nicked from work a few days ago too)

[Guest Monolithix]

The more the bastards nick the more evidence they leave!

[Guest pisquee]

The more the bastards nick the more evidence they leave!

Yup, had very cute CSI girlie come round the next morning to do fingerprints and take photos and samples of stuff.

[Guest Confucious]

Yup, had very cute CSI girlie come round the next morning to do fingerprints and take photos and samples of stuff.

So it wasn't all bad then? :(

'tis a bummer, isn't it tho? Hopefully they'll just wipe the data of your machine and your insurance will pay for a nice shiny new one!

Good luck

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Were you using bitlocker?

P

[Guest pisquee]

Were you using bitlocker?

P

Nope

[Guest pisquee]

Am slowing discovering what else they have taken...

My TyTn was lying around, in the box for my new TyTn II ... they'll think they have lovely shiney new phone til they open the box and find an old one which has been dropped many times!

What also went was a Fossil watch, which was leaving present from my last job :-(

[Guest Confucious]

Insurance can pay for most things but sentimental value can never be compensated for.

:(

Hope you don't find anything else missing.

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Next time, activate bitlocker!

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/.../bitlocker.mspx

P

[Guest Confucious]

"BitLocker Drive Encryption is a data protection feature available in Windows Vista Enterprise and Ultimate"

Not much use for those of us runing business edition then...

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

OP said he was running Ultimate :(

P

[Guest simonster]

If you wanted to get really paranoid about it then you could do this.... but I think it's a bit excessive (it's also quite cool).

Si

[Guest pisquee]

Yeah, bitlocker is a definate for new machine, along with chaining to something when i'm out.

The laptop had options for what went in the 2nd drive slot (I had floppy drive, DVDR, and another HD) none of them were in the machine, so they're not gonna find it as easy to reinstall windows as they hoped!

[Guest Confucious]

hehej!|

good!

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Mac users, check out FileVault to get similar protection!

P