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[Software] Remote disable devices?

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donald
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[Software] Remote disable devices?

#1 Post by donald »

Is anyone aware of a means or tool to remote wipe devices in linux? I carry phones which through services I can disable, report stolen or remotely wipe the device, but is there something available for computers or laptops?
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Re: [Software] Remote disable devices?

#2 Post by dilberts_left_nut »

You could have a cronjob that requests input periodically and the wrong answer triggers a shred or such?

Low tech, and circumventable if found...
AdrianTM wrote:There's no hacker in my grandma...

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Re: [Software] Remote disable devices?

#3 Post by donald »

dilberts_left_nut wrote: 2022-11-25 06:25 You could have a cronjob that requests input periodically and the wrong answer triggers a shred or such?

Low tech, and circumventable if found...
These are dual boot laptops :(, I assume that the thief/prize-winner would run windows instead of Debian/Linux. I like the idea of a dead mans switch though...:devil icon that we do not have:
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Re: [Software] Remote disable devices?

#4 Post by sunrat »

Wouldn't encryption be prudent on a device which has a possibility of being lost or stolen?
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ”
Remember to BACKUP!

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Re: [Software] Remote disable devices?

#5 Post by donald »

sunrat wrote: 2022-11-25 12:43 Wouldn't encryption be prudent on a device which has a possibility of being lost or stolen?
That is stage II. :lol:
You are correct though, that is the next thread.
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Re: [Software] Remote disable devices?

#6 Post by arochester »

Prey?
Prey’s new Factory Reset & Kill Switch features come with data safety and ease of use in mind, letting you disable hard drives and restore devices remotely.
https://preyproject.com/

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Re: [Software] Remote disable devices?

#7 Post by CwF »

no, no no....my hypo;
The laptop runs a level 1 hypervisor managing an a/b base layer image and runtime secondary layered cows.
Upon boot there is a password prompt. There are no user names. This accepts anything, including mistakes.
Only a correct response will get to any prior persistent secondary layer, and its desktop.
Incorrect gobbledygook starts a fresh layer. This layer then presents another password dialog. This also accepts anything.
Only a correct response will preserve a prior layer, make no changes and reboot, start over.
All incorrect responses yield a fully functioning desktop. Also a security layer vm is fired, opens all radios, starts scanning and logging and broadcasting, optionally poisoning nearby devices, and the prior persistent layers have been deleted btw. The laptop remains usable.

Go ahead, take it.

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Re: [Software] Remote disable devices?

#8 Post by sunrat »

@CwF that's brilliant! :wink: 8)
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ”
Remember to BACKUP!

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Re: [Software] Remote disable devices?

#9 Post by donald »

@CwF a mad scientist emerges! :lol: :D
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Re: [Software] Remote disable devices?

#10 Post by donald »

arochester wrote: 2022-11-25 14:13 Prey?
Prey’s new Factory Reset & Kill Switch features come with data safety and ease of use in mind, letting you disable hard drives and restore devices remotely.
https://preyproject.com/
i installed this on my laptop and it seems okay, would be better for locked systems I think. They allow you 1 free device and the other devices are paid for. I have a phone and a laptop on it. :/ Not sure how this will work for a dual boot system, perhaps the bios lock and I just pray the thief gets frustrated and parts it out instead. :(

Spoke too soon, found an old post about using the API key for dual boot systems: https://techwangler.blogspot.com/2014/0 ... -dual.html
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Re: [Software] Remote disable devices?

#11 Post by donald »

Still looking for a solution here.

Found this project about a USB disconnection device:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/new-usb-c ... lic-place/
A software engineer has designed a so-called USB "kill cable" that works as a dead man's switch to shut down or wipe a Linux laptop when the device is stolen off your table or from your lap in public spaces like parks, malls, and internet cafes.

The cable, named BusKill, was designed by Michael Altfield, a software engineer and Linux sysadmin from Orlando, Florida.

The idea is to connect the BusKill cable to your Linux laptop on one end, and to your belt, on the other end. When someone yanks your laptop from your lap or table, the USB cable disconnects from the laptop and triggers a udev script [1, 2, 3] that executes a series of preset operations.
It relies on a series of scripts to disable the device. I like the idea but think:

1) The Thief takes the laptop but isnt in it for the O/S, it is likely for resale after being wiped or parted out. Someone absconding with the device, booting into it, or trying to access the system isn't really a giant concern unless they sell/pawn the whole device or the disk drives fall into knowledgeable hands.
2) This most like will not work or thwart Industrial Espionage incidents.
3) This most likely will not work for Dual-Boot systems.

Back to the idea board.
Last edited by donald on 2022-12-14 20:16, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Typos
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Re: [Software] Remote disable devices?

#12 Post by ChristianMorris »

Yes, it is possible to remotely wipe a Linux device. There are a few different approaches you can take, depending on your needs and the resources available to you. Here are a few options to consider:

Use a remote management tool: Many Linux distributions include tools that allow you to remotely manage and configure devices. For example, Ubuntu includes a tool called "Landscape" that allows you to perform tasks such as software updates and remote wipes.

Use a third-party tool: There are several third-party tools available that allow you to remotely manage and wipe Linux devices. One example is "Fog," which is an open-source tool that can be used to image and deploy Linux systems, as well as perform remote wipes.

Use a command-line tool: If you have access to the command line on the remote device, you can use a tool such as "wipe" to securely erase the data on the device. This tool is included in many Linux distributions and can be used to overwrite the data on a hard drive with zeros or random data, making it difficult to recover.

It's worth noting that in order to remotely wipe a device, you will need to have some way of accessing it remotely, such as through a VPN or remote access tool. You will also need to have the appropriate permissions and credentials to perform the wipe.

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