US COMPUTER PROTECTION ISSUESThe power to protect - vnunet.com
National and specialist press regularly remind computer users of the danger posed to their equipment and vital data by electronic terrors, like viruses and hack attacks.

However, fending off online foes is only one front in the PC-protection battle. If you want to be confident of having all bases covered then you need to consider physical fortifications too.

Perhaps the most devastating event that could befall a computer owner is theft of equipment.

Of course, virus infections and hacker activities can result in damaged or even deleted files and documents but, while such situations can be seriously debilitating, important data might be recoverable.

In contrast, data stored on a hard disk of a computer that's been stolen is irretrievable. However, there are numerous less obvious threats facing computer users.



We've already noted the danger posed by the dastardly denizens of the online world but many people strive to protect their PCs against these virtual assaults while ignoring closer-to-home threats.

In an open-plan office your sensitive data is prone to prying eyes whenever you leave your desk. During those unguarded moments, someone could sidle up to your computer and rifle through private folders and files.

In short, defending against all potential hazards requires more than the installation of antivirus and firewall programs.

Whether you operate a one-person business from the domestic confines of a spare bedroom, or manage an open-plan office with dozens of PC workstations, our guide will show you how to protect your computer equipment.

Get wired
PCs and premium peripherals, like flat-panel monitors and external DVD writer drives, are valuable items. It's no wonder, then, that they're prime targets for the light-fingered.

An effective way to protect costly components against larcenous types is, quite simply, to lock them away. When not in use, a notebook PC can be locked in a combination safe or padlocked cabinet.

Obviously, this approach is unlikely to be favoured by owners of large desktop machines. Besides, concealing even the most portable equipment is likely to prove inconvenient in everyday life: is it likely that you'll go to the effort of locking away your notebook computer each time you go out for a coffee?

Fortunately, there are a variety of less bothersome options. A notebook owner, for instance, might choose to apply a ball-and-chain-style solution to secure their expensive technological slab.

The vast majority of modern notebook computers include a shackle socket, designed specifically for Kensington-branded security products.

The Kensington Notebook Microsaver, for instance, is a £30 device that employs a simple cable-loop system to anchor a portable PC to a desk leg, strut or similarly convenient immovable object. A key-locking mechanism enables quick release.

The Kensington system isn't just for notebook protection. The brand includes products designed to anchor a variety of computer components.

For more information on the Kensington range, available from Acco Europe, call 01296 732466 or go to http://uk.kensingtoneurope.com.

Box clever
While shackle systems are designed to deter opportunist crooks roaming around open-plan offices, more seasoned burglars are likely to come on the prowl with cable-cutting tools.

Fortunately there are more secure alternatives, like the Lokblok Futura F1 Security Encasement from Safemark. This sturdy construction literally shields enclosed equipment from the outside world behind 3mm of steel.

Once bolted to the desk, the £207.09 (£176.25 ex VAT) Futura F1's heavy-duty locking bar ensures that only the computer's drives are accessible. Any thief wanting to make off with the computer within would need serious perseverance.

For complete concealment, the more expensive £248.51(£211.50 ex VAT) Futura F2 Security Encasement model forgoes the locking-bar mechanism in favour of a 6mm steel door. For more information call 01904 778899 or go to www.safemark.co.uk.

And there's more - Safemark offers an assortment of computer security products for other vulnerabilities. The Lokdisk Floppy Drive Lock, for instance, physically bars access to a PC's floppy disk slot, foiling anyone attempting to spirit files from a computer's hard drive when no-one's looking.

Or, to protect against attempted invasions into a computer's innards, consider the Kerfuffle Ko. This high-decibel alarm plugs into a PC expansion slot and primes itself to emit a deafening racket should the case be opened. Only insertion of the disarming key will silence the rechargeable battery-powered device.

At the outset we highlighted the hazard of computers left unattended during breaks or after hours: an intruder needs only a few moments to locate private documents on a personal hard disk and view or copy them.

Erecting simple security barriers, like a password-protected Windows screensaver, is a good idea, but such methods are likely to prove ineffective against the more determined data snoopers.

Specialist security software offerings that encrypt and password-protect data are likely to be more dependable than the freebies thrown in with Windows, but history demonstrates that few ciphers are reliably resilient.

One option is to tether such protections to a physical key, as in the case of the Sicrypt system from Fujitsu Siemens Computers. Users of this software-lock and hardware-key solution are required to either insert a credit card-sized smartcard or have a fingertip scanned for print recognition.

The system is standard issue on various Fujitsu Siemens desktop and notebook models, but the company sells the components necessary to convert almost any modern PC to the Sicrypt cause.

The Fujitsu Siemens SCR USB Solo smartcard reader/writer, for example, costs £35.24 and plugs into the USB socket of any PC. For more information call Fujitsu Siemens on 0870 606 6677, or visit the website at www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk.

If you can't afford to spend money on additional software or hardware, then a free alternative is to invoke your computer's Bios-level password protection feature (usually accessible by pressing the delete button as your computer goes through its boot ablutions).

Bear in mind, though, that securing a computer in this way requires shutting down the machine each time you leave the desktop - if you forget the password, you're in trouble. Moreover, this method doesn't secure data: a determined digger could extract the hard disk and access the files and folders elsewhere.

We would advise against doing things on the cheap. A computer is a costly investment and the value of data is often incalculable. So be sensible, spend some money and be secure.

Should you protect your peripherals?
When it comes to physically protecting peripherals, like scanners and printers, the equation to crunch is the outlay needed to shield ancillary equipment from harm against the cost of replacement or repair, and any inconvenience that might be caused during the reparation of particular items.

£200 spent on a device like the Lokblok Futura F1 might be a worthwhile investment for protecting a PC from theft if the alternative is the inability to operate a business or complete vital tasks in time. But it would be difficult to justify spending any sum shielding, say, an inkjet printer from an unforeseen foe, because the cost of replacing such a device is minimal.

Even so, there are instances when even low-cost peripherals are business-critical devices. Replacing a stolen network router or exploded cable modem, for example, is not in itself likely to be expensive, but the downtime caused by such a situation could be costly to a business.

To secure such items from theft we'd refer you to Safemark (call 01904 778899 or go to www.safemark.co.uk), as the company carries a range of peripheral-protection paraphernalia. Similarly, the previously mentioned surge-diversion and uninterruptible power supply devices often feature dedicated network/modem-protection measures.