USB lo-jacking... ie. Someone stole my USB drive

[SpicyChronos]

Hi all,

I hope I'm posting this to the right fourm.

I am looking to either work with someone or look for some info on how to possibly add something to a pen drive or a external HDD to add a lo-jacking piece of software that could not be removed by a novice user, etc.

Story is, I used my pen drive at work, and forgot it in the machine, well I had a few days off and the pen drive disappeared.  The PC I used it on, is only used by three people, and the PC is in a access card restricted room.

I asked the other users of the PC and one said that he saw it and left it, because he knew I left it in there from the other night, and thought I was going to get it the next night.

Anyway, is there a program of sorts, that could capture the persons IP address, etc login information, etc.  of who's used it in what PC, etc.  and then notifiy you of when it was plugged in?

I lost a Sandisk U3 model pen drive.

I hope i'm not being too off the wall.

Thanks.

-Spicy

[SomeoneE1se]

do you have a php supported web host?

[SpicyChronos]

No, I don't have a website.

What I was thinking of was like the USB hacksaw, where it would capture the IP address, etc and then e-mail it.

-Spicy

[remkow]

It's quite easy to make it in a switchblade style, but it would be useful if you would still have the usb drive :P

[GonZor]

Do you want this software to run/install everytime the USB is inserted? how do you determine whether it is you using the USB or not?

[SpicyChronos]

Well after reading some of the other posts, it seems like the hacksaw route would be the best, and modify some of the reporting e-mail, whatnot.

I've sent out an interoffice e-mail to co-workers seeing if they perhaps took it, and are holding it, otherwise it's company property that got taken. For my own personal drive, i'd like to add this, I'll have to go pick up a new U3 style drive, or follow the directions for a non-U3 drive.

I'm also looking into using TrueCrypt to help protect sensitive files, but the computers at work, give us limited user access (ie. no Admin access) so I can't  install truecrypt at work, and I don't know if the MIS group would install it for me. etc..

anyway as for asking if I want it to run every time, I guess a simple text file on the C drive would suffice to tell it not to send the e-mail, etc.

[NanoyMaster]

if you know what computers you use the USBpen on you could add to the top of the batchfile:

if %computername% =YOURCOMPUTER go to safe

Format comp or whatever here

:safe

exit

[remkow]

I'm also looking into using TrueCrypt to help protect sensitive files, but the computers at work, give us limited user access (ie. no Admin access) so I can't  install truecrypt at work, and I don't know if the MIS group would install it for me. etc..

Download portable truecrypt at home, put it on your usb drive, and create a truecrypt volume. No need for admin access in order to use it from there.

[SomeoneE1se]

if you do get trurcrypt working, you could have it MOVE (not copy) all the files in My docs and desktop on to the truecrypt volume and then lock the volume so if they ever want to see there files again they have to return the flash drive

just make sure you delete the file with the truecypt password so they can just open it themselves