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Science Forum Index » Cryptography Forum » The ultimate security? Linux on a memory stick
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| Jan Panteltje |
 Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 5:40 pm |
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Not only must this be a big shock to MS, but
also the seciurity is really high.
Bring your own OS and applications, bring your USB memory stick
and reboot your PC.
Now it will run YOUR linux with YOUR applications....
You can still mount resident drives etc...
Look at these links for example:
http://spblinux.sourceforge.net/
http://www.8ung.at/spblinux/
As size increases of USB memory sticks, I expect something like
a full Knoppix 3.3 to fit on a cheap one this year (2004).
There is a whole lot of facinating possibilities that opens up,
and a market for MS windows closing down if you ask me...
To copy a memorystick is easy.. very easy...
Happy Newyear
Jan |
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| Andrew Swallow |
| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 5:40 pm |
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"Tom St Denis" <tomstdenis@iahu.ca> wrote in message
news:Sc2Jb.255874$ea%.31040@news01.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com...
Quote:
"Jan Panteltje" <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1072996811.473244@evisp-news-01.ops.asmr-01.energis-idc.net...
Not only must this be a big shock to MS, but
also the seciurity is really high.
Feeding the troll....
Why is that? Last I checked WindowsXP doesn't fit on a 64MB flash
stick...While I was at it last I checked uClinux is not "new".
Memory sticks are already up to 1 GB flash. Bigger ones to follow.
<http://www.dpreview.com/news/0208/02082801memorysticknews.asp>
Quote: Bring your own OS and applications, bring your USB memory stick
and reboot your PC.
Been there. Done that. It's called a livecd.
Tom
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| Andrew Swallow |
| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 5:40 pm |
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"Tom St Denis" <tomstdenis@iahu.ca> wrote in message
news:Sc2Jb.255874$ea%.31040@news01.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com...
Quote:
"Jan Panteltje" <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1072996811.473244@evisp-news-01.ops.asmr-01.energis-idc.net...
Not only must this be a big shock to MS, but
also the seciurity is really high.
Feeding the troll....
Why is that? Last I checked WindowsXP doesn't fit on a 64MB flash
stick...While I was at it last I checked uClinux is not "new".
Memory sticks are already up to 1 GB flash. Bigger ones to follow.
<http://www.dpreview.com/news/0208/02082801memorysticknews.asp>
Quote: Bring your own OS and applications, bring your USB memory stick
and reboot your PC.
Been there. Done that. It's called a livecd.
Tom
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| Tom St Denis |
| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 6:39 pm |
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"Jan Panteltje" <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1072996811.473244@evisp-news-01.ops.asmr-01.energis-idc.net...
Quote: Not only must this be a big shock to MS, but
also the seciurity is really high.
Feeding the troll....
Why is that? Last I checked WindowsXP doesn't fit on a 64MB flash
stick...While I was at it last I checked uClinux is not "new".
Quote: Bring your own OS and applications, bring your USB memory stick
and reboot your PC.
Been there. Done that. It's called a livecd.
Tom |
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| Tom St Denis |
| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 6:39 pm |
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"Jan Panteltje" <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1072996811.473244@evisp-news-01.ops.asmr-01.energis-idc.net...
Quote: Not only must this be a big shock to MS, but
also the seciurity is really high.
Feeding the troll....
Why is that? Last I checked WindowsXP doesn't fit on a 64MB flash
stick...While I was at it last I checked uClinux is not "new".
Quote: Bring your own OS and applications, bring your USB memory stick
and reboot your PC.
Been there. Done that. It's called a livecd.
Tom |
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| Peter Fairbrother |
| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 8:23 pm |
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Tom St Denis wrote
Quote:
"Jan Panteltje" <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1072996811.473244@evisp-news-01.ops.asmr-01.energis-idc.net...
Not only must this be a big shock to MS, but
also the seciurity is really high.
Feeding the troll....
Why is that? Last I checked WindowsXP doesn't fit on a 64MB flash
stick...While I was at it last I checked uClinux is not "new".
Bring your own OS and applications, bring your USB memory stick
and reboot your PC.
Been there. Done that. It's called a livecd.
Actually a stick has certain advantages over a liveCD, you can store files
in a cryptographically secure manner (ie you can know whether or not someone
has copied them if you keep the stick on you at all times). An iButton ring
would be even better, and there is a USB watch available.
To store files with a liveCD you either need CD-RW which isn't very reliable
(think floppy) or some other form of storage.
This is also important as for instance steganographic filing systems are
trivially vulnerable to observation-based attacks, though you can to some
extent mitigate that. Paper, due Feb., to follow on that.
The latest version of m-o-o-t is on a 256 MB stick  Mac (not windtunnel/
G5 as yet) and PC booting customised OpenBSD OS, desktop and apps, about 80
MB per platform. A Linux-based (better hardware support) version is also in
the works.
--
Peter Fairbrother |
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| Peter Fairbrother |
| Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 8:23 pm |
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Tom St Denis wrote
Quote:
"Jan Panteltje" <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1072996811.473244@evisp-news-01.ops.asmr-01.energis-idc.net...
Not only must this be a big shock to MS, but
also the seciurity is really high.
Feeding the troll....
Why is that? Last I checked WindowsXP doesn't fit on a 64MB flash
stick...While I was at it last I checked uClinux is not "new".
Bring your own OS and applications, bring your USB memory stick
and reboot your PC.
Been there. Done that. It's called a livecd.
Actually a stick has certain advantages over a liveCD, you can store files
in a cryptographically secure manner (ie you can know whether or not someone
has copied them if you keep the stick on you at all times). An iButton ring
would be even better, and there is a USB watch available.
To store files with a liveCD you either need CD-RW which isn't very reliable
(think floppy) or some other form of storage.
This is also important as for instance steganographic filing systems are
trivially vulnerable to observation-based attacks, though you can to some
extent mitigate that. Paper, due Feb., to follow on that.
The latest version of m-o-o-t is on a 256 MB stick Mac (not windtunnel/
G5 as yet) and PC booting customised OpenBSD OS, desktop and apps, about 80
MB per platform. A Linux-based (better hardware support) version is also in
the works.
--
Peter Fairbrother |
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| Jan Panteltje |
| Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 1:39 pm |
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On a sunny day (Thu, 01 Jan 2004 23:39:30 GMT) it happened "Tom St Denis"
<tomstdenis@iahu.ca> wrote in
<Sc2Jb.255874$ea%.31040@news01.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com>:
Quote:
"Jan Panteltje" <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1072996811.473244@evisp-news-01.ops.asmr-01.energis-idc.net...
Not only must this be a big shock to MS, but
also the seciurity is really high.
Feeding the troll....
Why is that? Last I checked WindowsXP doesn't fit on a 64MB flash
stick...While I was at it last I checked uClinux is not "new".
Bring your own OS and applications, bring your USB memory stick
and reboot your PC.
Been there. Done that. It's called a livecd.
Tom
No
you have no clue right?
OF CAUSE win whatever does not fit in 64 MB
That is why you should not buy it.
Knoppix fits on a CD (<800MB) and check the links.
Perhaps the sensible thing to do is make a read only partition on the stick
for the OS (Linux in case you did not notice), and a rw mountable for the data.
This way you always boot clean...
Unless they rob you physically of your memory stick, the data goes where you go.
That bloated piece of MS is really not needed.
Redundant, and I was not talking about 64 MB.
If you cannot see the possibilities .... and it seems that way.... too bad. |
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| Jan Panteltje |
| Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 1:39 pm |
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Guest
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On a sunny day (Thu, 01 Jan 2004 23:39:30 GMT) it happened "Tom St Denis"
<tomstdenis@iahu.ca> wrote in
<Sc2Jb.255874$ea%.31040@news01.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com>:
Quote:
"Jan Panteltje" <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1072996811.473244@evisp-news-01.ops.asmr-01.energis-idc.net...
Not only must this be a big shock to MS, but
also the seciurity is really high.
Feeding the troll....
Why is that? Last I checked WindowsXP doesn't fit on a 64MB flash
stick...While I was at it last I checked uClinux is not "new".
Bring your own OS and applications, bring your USB memory stick
and reboot your PC.
Been there. Done that. It's called a livecd.
Tom
No
you have no clue right?
OF CAUSE win whatever does not fit in 64 MB
That is why you should not buy it.
Knoppix fits on a CD (<800MB) and check the links.
Perhaps the sensible thing to do is make a read only partition on the stick
for the OS (Linux in case you did not notice), and a rw mountable for the data.
This way you always boot clean...
Unless they rob you physically of your memory stick, the data goes where you go.
That bloated piece of MS is really not needed.
Redundant, and I was not talking about 64 MB.
If you cannot see the possibilities .... and it seems that way.... too bad. |
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| Tom St Denis |
| Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 1:53 pm |
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"Jan Panteltje" <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1073068806.96578@evisp-news-01.ops.asmr-01.energis-idc.net...
Quote: No
you have no clue right?
OF CAUSE win whatever does not fit in 64 MB
That is why you should not buy it.
Really? I mean my laptops 60GB disk would be fairly empty if I ran my OS
off a flash drive....
<snip insanity>
Tom |
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| Tom St Denis |
| Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 1:53 pm |
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Guest
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"Jan Panteltje" <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1073068806.96578@evisp-news-01.ops.asmr-01.energis-idc.net...
Quote: No
you have no clue right?
OF CAUSE win whatever does not fit in 64 MB
That is why you should not buy it.
Really? I mean my laptops 60GB disk would be fairly empty if I ran my OS
off a flash drive....
<snip insanity>
Tom |
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| Paul Rubin |
| Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 4:54 pm |
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Jan Panteltje <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> writes:
Quote: Unless they rob you physically of your memory stick, the data goes
where you go.
Completely false. Hardware key loggers in the PC could be storing the
data anywhere. Also, if the data came from the internet, it could
have been recorded in transit, say at whatever router or firewall the
PC is connected to the net through. The same goes if you did
something with the PC like send private email. If you think that
running Linux from a USB drive on a public PC (airport kiosk or
whatever) is going to make your usage private, think again. |
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| Paul Rubin |
| Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 4:54 pm |
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Jan Panteltje <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> writes:
Quote: Unless they rob you physically of your memory stick, the data goes
where you go.
Completely false. Hardware key loggers in the PC could be storing the
data anywhere. Also, if the data came from the internet, it could
have been recorded in transit, say at whatever router or firewall the
PC is connected to the net through. The same goes if you did
something with the PC like send private email. If you think that
running Linux from a USB drive on a public PC (airport kiosk or
whatever) is going to make your usage private, think again. |
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| Jan Panteltje |
| Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 6:06 pm |
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On a sunny day (Fri, 02 Jan 2004 18:53:21 GMT) it happened "Tom St Denis"
<tomstdenis@iahu.ca> wrote in
<B6jJb.269019$ea%.197698@news01.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com>:
Quote:
"Jan Panteltje" <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1073068806.96578@evisp-news-01.ops.asmr-01.energis-idc.net...
No
you have no clue right?
OF CAUSE win whatever does not fit in 64 MB
That is why you should not buy it.
Really? I mean my laptops 60GB disk would be fairly empty if I ran my OS
off a flash drive....
Ah, probably full of crap anyways |
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| Jan Panteltje |
| Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2004 6:06 pm |
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On a sunny day (02 Jan 2004 13:54:09 -0800) it happened Paul Rubin
<http://phr.cx@NOSPAM.invalid> wrote in <7xr7yi2f0e.fsf@ruckus.brouhaha.com>:
Quote: Jan Panteltje <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> writes:
Unless they rob you physically of your memory stick, the data goes
where you go.
Completely false. Hardware key loggers in the PC could be storing the
data anywhere. Also, if the data came from the internet, it could
have been recorded in transit, say at whatever router or firewall the
PC is connected to the net through. The same goes if you did
something with the PC like send private email. If you think that
running Linux from a USB drive on a public PC (airport kiosk or
whatever) is going to make your usage private, think again.
This is right of cause.
What I also like is that it is now easier to access the data on that
PC you stick the USB-stick in, as you can bypass any passwords,
just mount any drive, and get the whole directories you are
interested in, take it home and decrypt there if needed.
But from a point of view of virus free booting, not bad is it?
Oh I am sure there are ways around that too, as is around anything.
And I like to have a Linux with me that I can run on almost any PC,
such a mem stick is a lot better then carrying a laptop...
Not to mention file transfer to / from the host.
The other thing is that a 'hardware key logger' would have to run
on its own processor and monitor the USB bus, as the main processor will
be running Linux, no way it will run something else at the same time.
A device in the keyboard, OK.
But then all bets are off.
The network is exactly what is avoided if you transfer to-from the stick
from a resident disk.
Finally you could encrypt the data on the stick itself with some algo and key
(you needed to enter for it to boot), so even then if it is robbed it would
be of no use.
Pros and contras, but it adds an other dimension, uses its pros.
If you like, I sure will, as I am experimenting with this. |
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