Build Your Own Electronic Key Card Lock

edBX writes "GideonTech.com has a new guide up on how to make your own electronic lock using a key card. Built using a phototransistor, infrared-emitting diode and a few ICs, they are able to turn on their computer using a punched out phone card."

Obvious Matrix Quote..

[sinjayde]

But Mr. Anderson, what good is your custom made electronic lock when you can no longer find your card?

I must be a sucker

[jaysones]

Here I am turning my computer on with the power button, like an idiot!

Obligatory Bill Hicks Quote

[edalytical]

GideonTech.com

Who are the fuckin' Gideons? Ever meet one? No. Ever seen one? No. But there all over the fuckin' world puttin' Bibles in hotel rooms.

Listen to it here. [angelfire.com]

Re:Another idea

[Stephonovich]

BTW, by 4!==24, I mean 4! equals 24, not 4!=24. Although both of those are true...

(-:Stephonovich:-)

Re:Or you could

[cybermace5]

Not a problem if you weld the case shut.

Re:Or you could

[jonadab]

BIOS password is no good; all they've got to do is steal the computer, open
the case by whatever means are necessary, and pop the drive into another
system.

If you need to secure against the case where someone gains physical access
to your computer while it is unguarded, I can only think of one way to do it:
encrypted filesystem with a large private key that must be typed in at boot
time and is not stored on disk anywhere (never, for example, in swap space),
just in RAM. This, combined with the usual forms of software security that
prevent the already-running system from being compromised, should at least
make it abnormally difficult for an attacker to get at the data. Difficult
enough that the easiest way would be to obtain the private key (either by
surveillance or by rubber-hose cryptanalysis).

Alternately, you could just never leave the system unguarded. But then you
have to decide how "guarded" is guarded enough. Is it enough to leave a pair
of trained dogs in the room? A security guard with a handgun? A platoon of
goons with assault rifles? A couple of gryphons and a medium-sized dragon?

Re:Just a thought...

[znode]

Oh yay...

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Must...resists...obvious...joke...

[IversenX]

In soviet russia, key card punches YOU!