Re: [PLUG] Death Notice / Unsubscribe
On Tue, 2 Apr 2024, Russell Johnson wrote: "If you can get physical access to a computer, it's not secure. It's only a matter of time." That goes with the joke, "The only secure computer is one that is in a bunker with no windows or door, no power, and no connection to the outside world. And we're not sure about that one." I was in the Army (counterintelligence and security) in (West) Germany in the mid- late-1960s. We learned that no lock is secure given sufficient time to pick/manipulate it. Even the Sargent-Greenlee padlocks could be opened with enough time. Lock security was based on how much time it was not observed. Computers fall into the same category. Rich
Re: [PLUG] Death Notice / Unsubscribe
Very sorry for your loss. I too have family where either I or the other family member has chosen to not contact the other. I'm sure that John and I had talked over the 20+ years I've been a member of this list. I've been hacking on computers in one form or another for somewhere north of 40 years. I managed to turn it into a career despite my dad telling me in 1975, "Computers are a flash in the pan. They'll be gone in 20 years." As I recall, I was an 8th grader begging for a TRS-80 Model 1. I had to wait almost a decade before I could buy my first one. However, one of my special fields of interest is computer security, from the CPU to the network gateway. I'm not an expert. I feel the field is way too wide to be expert in all of it. Your comment about what not to do prompted this message. One of the best positions I had was "Lab Manager" for Tripwire, Inc. downtown from 1999 to 2009. When I was there, we had a saying, I'm sure it's a wide spread idea. "If you can get physical access to a computer, it's not secure. It's only a matter of time." That goes with the joke, "The only secure computer is one that is in a bunker with no windows or door, no power, and no connection to the outside world. And we're not sure about that one." I hope this journey isn't too arduous and hopefully John didn't make it too hard to deal with his end of life. I did this for my sister about 10 years ago, and I still have some things popping up that I had no idea about. Mostly innocuous, but some that could have had significant consequences were I at a different point in my life. Good luck, and I expect you may not get this because someone probably efficiently removed John from the list already. -Russ On Sat, Mar 23, 2024 at 2:04 PM John Jason Jordan wrote: > First: My brother, John Jeddeloh, was found deceased in his home > January 14. He was known on this list as "John Jason Jordan." From his > computer files it looks like he has been active here for many years. I > have even found boxes with meeting posters dating back to 2013. > > Second: I need to unsubscribe 'joh...@gmx.com' from this list. Somebody > please help. > > Third: Frankly, I was quite surprised to find he was running Linux on > all his computers. I was last able to contact him 27 years ago, and he > was running early word-processing systems at that time. Personally, I > first started using Unix at Tektronix back ca. 1980 and the Usenet days, > and continued through my retirement, lastly working on DSL, Cable, > Ethernet, and Fiber-to-the-Hut home gateways. > > However, as to how I am on this account: Pro Tip: > a) Use a password manager. Share the master password with a > trusted family member or close friend, or leave it in a safe deposit > box, or with you lawyer and a copy of you will. > b) Have a will while we're at it. > c) Encrypt your hard drives, and > d) Don't leave a Debian live thumb drive on you desk next to your > laptop. It can be trivially easy for someone to break into the BIOS to > boot the thumb drive, clear the password on an account, then reboot the > system and log into the account without a password. This not only works > for the guy administering your estate, but also the guy you steals your > laptop from the coffee shop. > > -Alan Jeddeloh > Personal Representative, > Estate of John Jeddeloh > arjedde...@gmail.com >
Re: [PLUG] Death Notice / Unsubscribe
Basic rule of thumb. If there is physical access to the computer, it's not secure. -Russ On Sat, Mar 23, 2024 at 2:04 PM John Jason Jordan wrote: > First: My brother, John Jeddeloh, was found deceased in his home > January 14. He was known on this list as "John Jason Jordan." From his > computer files it looks like he has been active here for many years. I > have even found boxes with meeting posters dating back to 2013. > > Second: I need to unsubscribe 'joh...@gmx.com' from this list. Somebody > please help. > > Third: Frankly, I was quite surprised to find he was running Linux on > all his computers. I was last able to contact him 27 years ago, and he > was running early word-processing systems at that time. Personally, I > first started using Unix at Tektronix back ca. 1980 and the Usenet days, > and continued through my retirement, lastly working on DSL, Cable, > Ethernet, and Fiber-to-the-Hut home gateways. > > However, as to how I am on this account: Pro Tip: > a) Use a password manager. Share the master password with a > trusted family member or close friend, or leave it in a safe deposit > box, or with you lawyer and a copy of you will. > b) Have a will while we're at it. > c) Encrypt your hard drives, and > d) Don't leave a Debian live thumb drive on you desk next to your > laptop. It can be trivially easy for someone to break into the BIOS to > boot the thumb drive, clear the password on an account, then reboot the > system and log into the account without a password. This not only works > for the guy administering your estate, but also the guy you steals your > laptop from the coffee shop. > > -Alan Jeddeloh > Personal Representative, > Estate of John Jeddeloh > arjedde...@gmail.com >
[PLUG] Death Notice / Unsubscribe
First: My brother, John Jeddeloh, was found deceased in his home January 14. He was known on this list as "John Jason Jordan." From his computer files it looks like he has been active here for many years. I have even found boxes with meeting posters dating back to 2013. Second: I need to unsubscribe 'joh...@gmx.com' from this list. Somebody please help. Third: Frankly, I was quite surprised to find he was running Linux on all his computers. I was last able to contact him 27 years ago, and he was running early word-processing systems at that time. Personally, I first started using Unix at Tektronix back ca. 1980 and the Usenet days, and continued through my retirement, lastly working on DSL, Cable, Ethernet, and Fiber-to-the-Hut home gateways. However, as to how I am on this account: Pro Tip: a) Use a password manager. Share the master password with a trusted family member or close friend, or leave it in a safe deposit box, or with you lawyer and a copy of you will. b) Have a will while we're at it. c) Encrypt your hard drives, and d) Don't leave a Debian live thumb drive on you desk next to your laptop. It can be trivially easy for someone to break into the BIOS to boot the thumb drive, clear the password on an account, then reboot the system and log into the account without a password. This not only works for the guy administering your estate, but also the guy you steals your laptop from the coffee shop. -Alan Jeddeloh Personal Representative, Estate of John Jeddeloh arjedde...@gmail.com
