"Luv4Life" <Luv4L***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3FDD2568-EFDB-4F3F-8485-AF29B8D95287@microsoft.com:

> Hi Microsoft, and the part of "the rest of the world" that comes here to
> these newsgroups.  I have an idea for a program, or a Windows Service, that
> should be part of Windows' start-up sequence.  This idea has come from much
> of my own thought-time but also a lot of talking to people who have had their
> laptop or computer stolen...and several more who haven't had that happen but
> who do various things to protect against the possibility.
>
> This can be done as a HotFix or update that is made available from Windows
> Update....and without a delay of months and months.
>
> This idea is a yes-no answer -- does the user desire this security ability
> to be active or not?  If so, then proceed..........
>
> Have a service or program start when the computer boots up that waits a
> certain length for a password, minutes or seconds and specified by the user.
> There is no prompt or anything visible on the screen, it must run invisibly
> and there can be no System Tray icon to show its presence -- it is simply
> known/remembered by the user.  If the password isn't entered in that
> time-frame, everything on the hard drive is deleted.  Yes, extreme &
> irreversible (well unless you use an undelete program), but remember this
> idea is for help when a computer/laptop is stolen and depending upon police
> or a GPS thingy in the computer would be a fruitless waste of time when
> thinking about protecting your files and data.
>
> However, provide the option to specify the folders that are more important
> and whose files must be deleted first (financial data, personal/private pics,
> personal documents, family pics/info, etc., then move on from there) in case
> the thief is computer-savvy and would unplug or turn off the computer to stop
> it (or if a laptop, would quickly remove the battery cover and battery), even
> if out of being bewildered for why the hard drive light is on or why the
> computer isn't responding, and in that bewilderment wanting to quickly do the
> most effective thing for removing power.
>
> When the countdown expires, the keyboard and mouse get locked so that the
> delete operation is protected from any "normal computer operation" attempt to
> stop it.
>
> If the computer boots to the Windows Login screen, then the countdown starts
> when that screen is displayed.  Otherwise, if the computer boots to the
> desktop, the countdown starts just after the desktop icons & system tray
> icons are displayed.  Since there is more boot-up time after those icons
> display, there will be awareness by the programmers (e.g., if a small number
> of seconds is entered then the person will be prompted with a caution about
> too little time) or awareness given to the user to allow for that extra time
> when they enter the number of seconds or minutes.
>
> If the computer boots to the Windows Login screen, then the secret password
> must be entered before a username can be clicked on. The mouse may freely be
> moved and clicked but no input will be accepted and no error message will be
> displayed -- mouse click or keyboard-press received, and then thrown out just
> as quickly, with no response/feedback.  If the computer boots to the desktop,
> then no mouse clicks or keyboard operations will be accepted until the
> password is entered, and again no error message or feedback will be
> displayed.  Up to the programmers:  if a lengthy period of time, then perhaps
> allow mouse clicks & keyboard presses so that the computer acts normally and
> thereby not acting suspicious.
>
> If a person would want a last reminder just in case of possible
> forgetfulness, or perhaps a rushed morning after waking up late and quickly
> turning on the computer before rushing around for coffee or into the
> bathroom, or in case of computer-illiterate and not able to think about such
> a task every time they turn on their computer, then give the option to pop-up
> a very small countdown window for the last so-many seconds that decrements
> the number one second at a time.  Nothing else, just a number that counts
> down.  If a person would want such a countdown window, then *only* one
> keystroke will be allowed that the user would select in an option/setting,
> and after that keystroke is entered, an asterisk is put next to the countdown
> timer and then allow just such-and-such seconds to enter the password also
> selectable by the user, while on the screen the number continues to zero with
> no prompting for the password -- remember, it must act invisibly & unknown,
> even to the point of being careful that someone who the computer owner is
> with could be a potential thief only acting as a trusted friend (because yes
> that happens out here "in the real world" away from office cubicles and etc).
>
> If a person has opted to display that short last-second countdown window,
> and if the keystroke & password are not entered (but then the computer is
> turned off or powered down by a smartly-paranoid or smartly-cautious thief,
> meaning Windows will still be in tact and it will boot the next time it's
> turned on), then the next time the computer is booted, something special must
> be done or accounted for regarding the countdown timer and what it will then
> wait for (however, this last-seconds display must be allowed as an option for
> those who are not computer-literate & who would still be taken by surprise by
> such a serious implication as "do such-and-such or your hard drive will be
> erased").  This is something for continued reflection and thought, perhaps
> talking to random people on a street corner or coffee shop/cafe.
>
> This Windows Service or program should be embedded into something
> OS-oriented to prevent against possible tampering by the hard drive being
> connected to another computer as a secondary hard drive.  For the most
> extreme of possibilities, someone tech-savvy could dupe someone who is
> computer-illiterate into letting them work on their computer a short while,
> and then take out the hard drive to connect it to another computer and
> attempt to modify this "secret password" protection, while planning a later
> theft in the back of their sick mind.
>
> I've spoken with many people who've had their laptops stolen and other
> less-serious computer mishaps happen regarding other people and uncertain
> circumstances when the computer owner isn't around.  This would be a most
> welcome security measure by many people by the conversations I've had...to
> me, so what about the number of people who wouldn't dare touch it, who think
> it's excessive, or whatever, because if there are people who would use it
> then that's good enough, especially since this is a simple off-on option.
> And in the event of a mishap where even a computer owner gets ransacked by
> this & important stuff is deleted, of course it's an understood consideration
> that files would have to be backed-up on memory cards or Flash/Jump/Thumb
> Drives.  I sure know I'd use such a security measure, I would *welcome* it.
> And it's simpler, or at least more effective, than the BIOS password at
> boot-up.  Think about the financial data files used by your financial
> program; or the intimate pics & videos of you and your significant other that
> are for only you two; or your family pics that, while not being ellicitly
> compromising, are still very personal and private; or things by your kids or
> pertaining to your kids; and the list can go on.  A scumbag thief not able to
> access special important stuff after a computer is stolen is worth
> no-matter-how-many-times this would have to be entered at boot-up.  I would
> write this program but don't have sufficient programming tools, besides being
> really active with different things in my spare time.