Why destroy encrypted data?

Although data encryption is one of the most important data protection methods, there is no guarantee that 1) the password (or key) will always remain confidential and 2) the encryption will protect the data permanently (in other word for an infinite period of time) even if the password always remains confidential. Destroying data allows the data to be protected permanently. Hence, it provides another protection layer to the data whether or not the data is encrypted

How to hide user names from the logon screen

Hiding user names enhances security. Attackers have to guess both username and password. It is also useful when you have a forced account setup in your computer.

You can hide user names by editing the registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList

For more info see:
http://winhowto.blogspot.com/2007/06/how-to-hide-users-in-windows-vista-xp.html



Quick Links: Forced Account

How to create a forced account.

A forced account is a computer user account that is configured to destroy sensitive data in a forced logon or a logon as a result of forced username and password disclosure. When someone logs onto a forced account in your computer, your computer will destroy sensitive data. Thus a forced account provides another layer of protection for the data in your computer. The following steps create a user account, which you can use it as a forced user account.

1. Click Start and click Control Panel.
2. Click Add or remove user accounts under User Accounts and Family Safety.
3. Click Create a new account.
4. Type in a user name, which will be a forced user account name.
   
5. Select the account type: Standard
6. Click Create Account.
7. Select the account you just created.
8. Click Create password button
9. Type in a password for the user account and an option password hint.
10. Click Create password button

The above instruction is applicable to Windows Vista and Windows 7. Windows XP has an equivalent instruction but each step is not exactly the same as the above.

Quick Links: Forced Account

How to configure a forced account

1) Select Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Task Scheduler.


2) Select Action > Create Task
3) Enter task name- any name of your choice.
4) Enter the administrator username under "When running the task, use the following user account:".
5) Check 'Run with the highest privilege'.

6) Select trigger condition as "At logon" with the username of the forced account in Triggers tab page.

7) In Actions tab page, enter "c:\program files\bin\sdelete" or an alternate location of sdelete.exe program in your computer. In the argument field, enter "-s 'c:\users\confidential'". You can subsitute 'c:\users\confidential' with your own folder that you want to destroy.

8) Uncheck all in Conditions tab page.

9) Check "If the task fails, restart every" in Settings tab page.

10) Press OK.

Note: If you do not have SDelete, you can download it from this Microsoft web page.

The above instruction is applicable to Windows Vista and Windows 7. Windows XP has an equivalent instruction but each step is not exactly the same as the above.

Quick Links: Forced Account

LAlarm selected as a must-have laptop security

The Virus Experts blog recently hand picked 7 must have laptop security software. According to the blog, LAlarm is one of the seven must-have laptop security software.

Read the original article

How to enable Windows XP logon password

1. Press Win+R
2. Type in the following command: "control userpasswords2" without quotation marks
3. Click OK
4. Highlight the user you want to log into automatically, then check the box for "Users must enter a username and password to use this computer"
5. Click on Apply or OK.

Free sound files from Freesound.org

Freesound.org provides a large number of free quality sound files. In order to download sound files from this web site, you have to register. The files are free for non-commercial use according to the web site.

Car alarm: http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=53840

Police Siren: http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=62878

Car horn: http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=54086

Arming car alarm: http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=29723

Thunder storm http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=17075

Dragon http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=66642

Dinosaur: http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=15026

Dinosaur footstep http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=77027

Forest http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=18765

Heart beat: http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=21409

Drum http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=84221

Sword http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=65380

Heavy wind http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=16796

Base drum http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=30668

Drum beat http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=40849

Ocean http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=13564

Cell phone http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=30054

Glass breaking http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=59263

Cat http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=4915

Dog http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=24965

Mockingbird http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=1055

Grasshopper http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=58240

Gun http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=37236

Beer cap opening http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=32264

Champagne opening http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=71837

Guitar http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=1374

Ghost http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=6598

Rooster http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=43382

Ice cream van http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=24609

Composite alarm http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=25032

You can search sound files by keywords at freesound.org.

Free sound files from GRsites.com

GRsites.com provides many free sound files. Here are some categories you can choose from.

• Animal sound
• Bell sounds
• Nature sound
• Aircraft sound

LAlarm version 5.7

LAlarm version 5.7 features:

• Enhanced zone detection ability - allows faster and more reliable zone change detection.
• Enhanced health alarm.
• Other minor enhancements.

The latest version of LAlarm is always available at: www.lalarm.com/download

Christmas sound

You can easily find Christmas sound on the Internet. The sound search engine findsounds.com lists some sleigh bell sound files (in .wav format).

• www.thepocket.com/wavs/jinglebells1.wav
• www.clanktt.com/gameserver/sound/nippersounds/nm_xmas_bells.wav
• www.ringelkater.de/Sounds/2geraeusche_gegenst/jingle_bells.wav

Please note that the sound files on the Internet may require a license depending personal or business use.

You can also get free Christmas sound files from freesound.org, which is free but requires a registration to download:

Sleigh Bell http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=44293

Christmas melody http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=18174

LAlarm version 5.6

LAlarm version 5.6 is now available at www.lalarm.com/Download

The new version features:

• You don't have to restart the computer after changing Alarm Options. (but logoff and logon still needed)
  
• A beep sound is played when you press Win+L. It means theft alarm is armed.
  
• You can use LAlarm in a guest account or other low privileged user account as well.
• Other minor enhancements

LAlarm version 5.6 beta

LAlarm version 5.6 beta is available at www.lalarm.com/Beta

New features include:

• You can use LAlarm in a guest account or other low privileged user accounts as well. *
  
• A beep sound played when you arm the theft alarm by pressing Win+L
• Other minor enhancements

* You still have to login as administrator to install it.

LAlarm Version 5.5

LAlarm Version 5.5 is now available at: www.lalarm.com/Download

This new version includes:

• Automatic mute button.
• Louder siren sound for theft alarm and panic alarm.
• Optimized health alarm.
• Enhanced Email tab in Options.
  

LAlarm Version 5.5 beta

LAlarm Version 5.5 beta is available at: www.lalarm.com/Beta

New features include:

• Automatic mute button
• Louder siren sound for theft alarm and panic alarm.
• Optimized health alarm
  
• A user friendly enhancement in Options Email tab.

How to press the mute button automatically

When an alarm goes off except theft alarm, there is a mute button on the screen. The mute button allows you to stop the sound. By the default setting, the alarm sound will continue until the mute button is pressed. You can configure LAlarm to press the button automatically.
For example, if you want LAlarm to automatically press the mute button within 30 seconds from the health alarm going off, do the followings:

1. Append "-mute30" string to the end of the sound filename. For example, chirping-mute30.wav.
2. Start LAlarm Options.
3. Click Sound tab.
4. Choose "chirping-mute30.wav" for health alarm sound file. (e.g. c:\users\[username]\music\ chirping-mute30.wav)
5. Press OK.
   

After the above procedure, LAlarm will press the mute button 30 seconds after the health alarm going off. As a result, the alarm sound will stop. You can specify a different amount of time instead of 30 seconds. You can also configure other alarm by using the above procedure above except panic alarm and theft alarm.

See also: How to make alarm silent

This tip applies to LAlarm version 5.5 or later.