National Webcast Initiative


Securing Mobile Devices

June 17, 2009


The following is a compilation of questions submitted to the presenters through the written Q and A tool during the webcast. The transcript has been edited for relevance.

 

Question: Are BIOS passwords secure?

Answer: BIOS passwords are not secure because they are recoverable by examining the BIOS buffer, and there are tools that will do that. However, removing the battery for the BIOS will erase the content of that buffer.

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Question: Does having mulitiple spyware programs slow the operating system of the laptop?

Answer: Yes.

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Question: Would it be a good idea to equip laptops with wireless cellular devices so people don't use insecure wireless hotspots, or at least be less tempted?

Answer: That is an option but it could be costly.

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Question: How are USB's made secure?

Answer: USB drives can be encrypted using 128/256 encryption by using either embedded software (i.e. U3) or external software.

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Question: I didn't hear anything about Android or Linux phones. Are they secure?

Answer: Most of these attacks will also work against Llinux or Android phones.

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Question: If the laptop is completely wiped out, will it still be trackable with the tracking software?

Answer: Hardware tracking solutions, such as GPS tracking devices would be more efficient for that kind of a situation.

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Question: How much of an issue are the different classes of Bluetooth with respect to the distance the signals travel?

Answer: From the attack perspective, it is not the signal strength of your device, but the signal strentgh of your attacker. In this case your attacker can use directional antennas to attack your weak signal and still penetrate your device.