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physical security software
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Senior User
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Feb 24, 2005, 07:14 PM
 
Does anyone know if there's a utility out there that can play a loud alarm on your machine if someone unplugs a USB or firewire device?
     
Mac Elite
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Feb 25, 2005, 01:52 AM
 
No, but I know a guy who'll yell at you if you tip over his bhang.
     
Clinically Insane
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Feb 25, 2005, 06:52 AM
 
I've never heard of anything like that, but it's an interesting concept. There are alarms for laptops which, once armed, will sound a loud alarm if the laptop is moved.

The details of such software would be interesting, though. Would the alarm turn off if the device was plugged back in? Is there way to only turn it off if the same device is plugged back in, or is this beyond the limitations of USB?
You are in Soviet Russia. It is dark. Grue is likely to be eaten by YOU!
     
Addicted to MacNN
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Feb 25, 2005, 07:07 AM
 
If you want stuff to happen when peripherals are connected and/or disconnected, use Peripheral Vision. You can have it launch an arbitrary app on connect or disconnect.
     
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Feb 25, 2005, 08:44 AM
 
As has been parroted on these forums before, if someone has physical access to your machine, you're probably screwed.

Think about it: they unplug the usb alarm dongle, panic, unplug the power, and remove the battery. In less than 5 seconds, they could silence it. Since, by your description, it would play a sound on your local machine.

If however the USB device had its own independent battery power, and its own alarm, then I could see it working. But then it would make it no better than those other motion-sensitive laptop alarms already on the market.
     
Clinically Insane
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Feb 25, 2005, 08:50 AM
 
Originally posted by Visnaut:
As has been parroted on these forums before, if someone has physical access to your machine, you're probably screwed.
This is very true. At the same time, it looks like he's trying to build an alarm system, rather than actually prevent theft.
You are in Soviet Russia. It is dark. Grue is likely to be eaten by YOU!
     
Mac Elite
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Feb 25, 2005, 09:47 PM
 
Actually this is a good idea. You could use it in a lab situation to keep kids from stealing the mice.
     
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Feb 25, 2005, 11:00 PM
 
Originally posted by Gavin:
Actually this is a good idea. You could use it in a lab situation to keep kids from stealing the mice.
Perhaps it would be a deterrent, but if a kid was really determined, he or she could just shut the Mac down. And I'm not even sure one can restrict access to sleep/restart/shutdown options in the Apple menu. And even then, it's nothing a five-second press and hold of the power button can't do.
     
   
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