Vista Backup security

[Bob]

I backup my computer using vista backup. It is not an image backup since
image backup is not available on OEM Vista Home Premium. I currently backup
to USB hard drive. I am going to experiment with backing up to DVD RW. Is
there any automatic or default security built into these backups? If
someone steals my USB hard drive or DVD that contain my backups can they
access all the data on them? If there is no security in vista backup, what
do you recommend I do to secure my backups?

Background info: I have a AMD 4400+ 64X2 4GB memory 320GB HD(way bigger than
I need) Acer computer (AM3100-U3201A) I purchased new February 2008 running
32-bit MS Vista Home Premium SP1 box. I check for MS auto updates very
frequently. I think it has onboard shared memory sound and video.

Thanks for the help.

Bob

 

[DL]

So you've now found the answer to your origonal post?
No its not secure, but then likely niether is the PC you are backing up

 

[Daniel Petri]

Maintaining the physical security of the backup media should be an important
aspect of your security considerations and planning. If someone gains
physical access to your computer*, it's not your computer anymore.

* Replace <computer> with <backup media>

--
Sincerely,

Daniel Petri
MVP, Senior IT consultant, trainer
www.petri.co.il

 

[Bob]

Thanks for your response Daniel Petri & DL. I password protect my computer
or I password protect the two user accounts on it. Are you saying I am not
really protected? If the maintenance guy or the city fire inspector (once a
year) comes into my condo when I am at work and they turn on my computer
they can get past my password protected user accounts?

I always made the assumption if someone took my computer they could work it
till they got access. I thought my computer was secure as long as it was in
my home. Are you saying that someone can waltz into my home for an
inspection and with little time and effort get access to my computer and I
would never know?

Thanks for the help.

Bob

 

[Daniel Petri]

Yes, that's what I'm saying. If you leave your computer unattended, it
doesn't matter if it's on or off, the moment someone has physical access to
it, all they need to do is to boot the machine with some sort of bootable
live CD and immediately gain access to your files, registry and whatever.

The only thing you can do to prevent this (to a certain extend) is to use
physical security that prevents them from actually reaching the machine
(locked rooms, server enclosures, cameras, finger print locks and so on),
and/or use BitLocker to encrypt the content of your HD (only if your
computer supports that and if you're ready to risk losing the HD's content
in case you mess things up).

--
Sincerely,

Daniel Petri
MVP, Senior IT consultant, trainer
www.petri.co.il

 

[DL]

Assuming you mean the standard user password, then any PC literate person
would be able to bypass it, whether such hacking would be legal might depend
on that person having a valid reason, or authority, for doing so.
You can encrypt the hard disk, entirely, then it would depend on how much
resources the person can bring to bear on the 'cracking' an individual would
be unlikely to be able to crack encryption.
Any Inspector probably does not have authorisation for a detailed inspection
of your PC.

 

[Bob]

Thanks Daniel Petri & DL. I just got done setting up all my accounts for
online access, now that I have learned my computer is not safe I remembered
and searched and found this article:
Lock Out the FBI for $200
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=4264587 or
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/LegalCenter/story?id=4264587&page=1

Then I found the software they talked about:
http://na.store.pgp.com/desktop_pro.html
http://na.store.pgp.com/whole_disk_encryption.html
http://na.store.pgp.com/desktop_home.html
Which one should I get?

The only sensitive info on my computer is my financial accounts and
financial software. Someone could steal me blind in a moment if they got
control of my accounts.

What are the consequences of installing this type of software?
Will it be more cumbersome to use my computer day to day?
Will there be a large learning curve?
If installing it crashes my computer is my data is SOL?
How much does it slow my computer?
Will my backups be secure? Or maybe the question is will my backups be
usable?

Thanks for the help.
Bob

 

[Daniel Petri]

Bob, for any 3rd-party software issues you need to contact the vendor of
that software.

In any case, you're probably making a big deal out of this. In most cases
proper security measures can safely guard your data, and, in most cases, a
proper re-design of the way you're working and the way you've set up your
network can help you mitigate these risks. Naturally, for some sensitive
information you need to go a bit further, and even that cannot entirely
protect your data against gouvernment agencies, if that's what you fear
(although one might find that their data security issues are dwarfed by
their other issues, if that is the case with them... LOL). In most cases,
given enough resources (like the gouvernment and military agencies hold)
nothing can really be protected, unless similar resources are invested in
the protection itself.

--
Sincerely,

Daniel Petri
MVP, Senior IT consultant, trainer
www.petri.co.il