Darren New wrote:

 > Have you considered what happens to your data if you lose the HD? Is
 > there anything on there of enough value that you're screwed if it gets
 > stolen?  A NOC list, perhaps?

LOL! And now I'm thinking about that ridiculous scene from Mission 
Impossible 2.

You know the one I'm talking about. The NOC list resides on a 
stand-alone computer in a sealed vault. [This itself is highly 
implausible. Surely people need to access that thing all the time?]

The vault features a state-of-the-art alarm system, including 
temparature sensors, sound sensors, floor pressure sensors, and a 
friggin *laser grill* over the air vent!

This state-of-the-art system does not, however, feature any room motion 

shudder to think what it costs to purchase, install, calibrate and 
maintain a laser grill.

This alarm system also does *not* include sensors to maybe, um, detect 
that somebody is typing stuff into the computer when the room is 
supposed to be empty. Like, WTF? Are you *kidding* me??

Better yet, why doesn't arming the alarm _disable the keyboard_?? How 
hard would that be?

If we assume that the only copy of the NOC list exists inside the 
harddrive of the computer, if the alarm system disables the computer in 
some way, you'd have two options left for getting at the data.

Option 1 is to open the computer's casing and remove the harddrive. 
Since presumably the case is alarmed, you'd probably have to drill in. 
And you know what? Dills are really noisy. Alternatively, laser your way 
in. Mmm, that should heat the room up nicely, eh?

[I won't even comment on the concept of having a temperature sensor in 
an air-conditioned room...]

Option 2 would be to install some kind of electronic bugging device to 
passively detect signals from inside the computer and relay them to you 
somehow. (Perhaps you install a short-range transmitter and an antenna 
in the air vent connected to a long cable? IDK. But given *sane* 
security precautions, this seems like the only really plausible tactic.

Of course, from what I've seen of major governments, if you want the NOC 
list you don't need to break into a sealed vault; it's probably laying 
on a seat on a train somewhere. ;-)

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