Consumer-Mass-Product Grade Laptop (with above average security) [was: Military-Grade Laptop Security for All]

[rayservers support]

coderman wrote:
> On 3/1/07, rayservers support <support at rayservers.com> wrote:
>> ...
>> All laptop users need privacy and computer security.
> 
> 
> on the other end of the spectrum consider:
> 
> http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5622733
> -> VIA C7 (w/Padlock RNGx2, AES, SHA, MontMult, NX) Everex StepNote
> [0] 15.4" Widescreen Laptop
> (for posterity, $398 refurb. / $468 retail)
> 
> add a Sony MicroVault USM-H [1] usb fob for your (physical & disk :)
> key ring for loop-aes pass phrase protected storage with minimal
> cumbersome-ness...

If you are after strong security, you want to ensure, at a minimum,
encrypted swap and /tmp as well. After all, it is unlikely the
mathematics will be broken by any adversary you are likely to
encounter... but such an adversary will likely be able to read clear
text on disk that the consumer did not know existed...

With a 100% encrypted disk, operating system logs, temp and swap files,
etc are not possible avenues for information leakage to a potential
attacker.

Many people use the free Truecrypt program which implements decent
crypto, but then they use insecure Windows which has full access to the
decrypted contents while they are in use... any resident malware can
then snarf the information and send it away... the text editor and
cleartext in memory could be sent to virtual memory or written to
Windows temp files, etc.

The loop-aes readme describes how to implement encrypted root for those
of you who want to do this yourself (and we encourage you to). The cost
of the time you will spend putting all the pieces of the puzzle together
is likely to exceed the premium you would pay us for a secured notebook.

Additionally we offer VPN services that secure your network access as
well as secure-out-of-the-box email hosted with SSL mail servers and
OpenPGP email where the key is under your control (i.e. security that
locks out the email provider). Your local ISP will have no way to
determine your surfing habits.

We are aware of the cheap VIA notebooks - if any organization wants to
order 20 or more based on that hardware we will add it to our line. We
are always happy to do custom notebooks based on the your favorite
hardware or even your existing notebook.

Best regards,

Support.