Revise your backup strategy

[Corobori]

To start let me say that I am currently reloading all my files, data, software, pictures, cards, website, you name it, from a backup. I AM JUST SO HAPPY BEING ABLE TO DO IT.

I know that probably a high percentage of you are on the safe side but for those who are not doing regular backup read this message and act ASAP.

Just imagine this: one morning you go where your PC should be and when you are there you have to face the hard fact: it's gone ! Where your monitor was you see just the power cable. Gone the flat panel screen. To make thinks worse: gone also your Treo cell phone, gone your Ipaq and gone your digital camera.

I was lucky, as my office is in a separate building the Maxtor External drive was still there, it was dark they didn't see it and also I unplugged it at night from my PC so it wasn't physically linked to it. The last backup was about 5 hours old and I had uploaded the latest changes on CT's server just before powering off my PC.

The thieves entered my office where they found just the monitors; I guess that wasn't what they were looking for, they broke into my house (we were sleeping on the 1st floor) where my PC was (for the night I always took it inside for security reason), they stole mine but not my older machine (my wife's PC). By the way they didn't steal my wife's old Palm. Neither did they steal the money on my desktop, nor my cheques and my id card which they shuffled to take the screen.

Try to imagine that your machine is gone for ever. Will you be able  to restore your data and resume working without loosing to much work ?

I don't pretend to teach you a lesson; I just want to share an experience, a painfull one, which could have been a lot worse without having made a regular backup. Keep in mind that nobody is imune to this problem, perhaps not the same way, it could be a simple hard drive failure with the same dramatic effect: data is gone.

So, do you think you'll get those data back easily ?

Jean-Luc
http://www.corobori.com

[Jon E]

Sorry to hear about that Jean-Luc; I'll never understand some people.  I'm glad the outcome wasn't the worst possible one.  Definitely makes you think twice though.

Thanks,
Jon Ernster
CrystalTech Web Hosting Inc.

[hangtown]

Besides restoration of data, don't forget they now have all yours. Change all your internet account passwords, online banking passwords (and if possible, accounts too), etc, etc.

Sorry you're in that situation.

[Virtual Charlie]

I'm also sorry to hear about your theft Jean-Luc.  It may be my turn next as I've been lucky not to experience computer theft and my last hard drive failure was almost a decade ago.  When my hard drive failed, I was fortunate that I'd been keeping my home and work systems synched with a removable hard drive.  Only my tech friends could understand that I actually smiled when my work hard drive failed.

My current backup strategy is that I run Karen's Replicator ( http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp ) to synch my work computer with a backup computer every night as a scheduled task.  I also update my virus defs and do two different scans of my entire drives content for nasties.  

Here's some good articles on backups from Fred Langa
http://www.langa.com/backups/backups.htm
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=159905095

[Corobori]

quote:Originally posted by hangtown

Besides restoration of data, don't forget they now have all yours. Change all your internet account passwords, online banking passwords (and if possible, accounts too), etc, etc.

Yes, I changed a lot of those data already.

Jean-Luc
http://www.corobori.com

[Danny]

Mmmm, contingency planning. Good you brought it up as I forgot about backups for months :-0

Best of luck Jean-Luc,

Danny
Webengineer.nl

[Corobori]

quote:Originally posted by Danny

Mmmm, contingency planning. Good you brought it up as I forgot about backups for months :-0

Months, did you say ? Damned, you're playing with fire here,don't get burned !

This looks good http://www.computersecurity.com/pcpro/ but I don't understand why the minimum quantity is 100 when other articles are sold by unit.

Jean-Luc
http://www.corobori.com

[Danny]

I have all data seperated. System on C, business data on D and entertainment on E.
So your remark indeed made me decide to buy an external drive/backup device to do at least the D-drive.
I have passwords stored on this PC on a single location, so I will look into how to encrypt what is stored. If they take the machine at least that kind of data will not be unlocked (easily); I will consolidate and encrytp customer data as well...

Thanks.

Danny
Webengineer.nl

[pbounaix]

That really stinks to hear. When I lost my tablet pc, I thought of writing an app that would have it "phone home" so i could try to track it down. this however sounds like they knew what they wanted from you, so it would have not made much of a difference...

good luck to you jean-luc

- Patrick
...... The following sentence is true. ......
...... The previous sentence is false. ......

[Corobori]

quote:Originally posted by pbounaix

When I lost my tablet pc, I thought of writing an app that would have it "phone home" so i could try to track it down.

It's not for tablet PC but it seems that it's calling home when necessary see http://www.barracudasecurity.com/features.html

Jean-Luc
http://www.corobori.com

[JohnTNYC]

The password issue may or may not be an issue depending on the thieves and where the machines wind up.  They may be just selling em quick for drug money, etc to a semi-reputable local shop that may wipe them and then sell them.  Of course, you have to assume the worst.

If they are after your data, getting into a password-protected Windows XP box takes about 5 minutes.  If you take the the time to encrypt your folders with the important stuff in them, it can take anywhere from hours to a month depending on the password you chose (and most thieves probably wouldn't wait that long I would wager).  But still, best to change all passwords and credit card info that is stored on the box and keep an eye on your credit report.

Hope it works out.

Regards,
John

Take your browser, email, calendar and HTML editor with you...
Portable Firefox, Portable Thunderbird, Portable Sunbird and Portable NVU

[Virtual Charlie]

Slightly off-topic here but as a recent victim of identity theft I can tell you are some things you can do in the USA even if you haven't been a victim yet (I don't know about Chile). Call anyone of the major credit bureaus and say that you suspect you are a victim.  Ask for a report and to be removed from their reporting lists and for them to place a flag to ask for serious identification if "you" apply for credit.

Credit reports have to be one the biggest scams since pyramid schemes.  After my info was stolen, I learned that the credit companies send all your info to most anyone who cares to buy in bulk.  This makes it very easy for persons to get your essential ID info. Department stores are happy to take an ID printed on a home laser printer for credit and give extended terms so that the audit trail is really cold by the time you learn that debt has been generated in your name.  Thus, lots of folks end up paying to protect their good names.

To add insult to injury, the credit companies in turn offer to protect you from the persons who got the info from them by offering to rent you activity reports.

BTW: I was lucky.  A clerk got suspicious when the person using "my" ID realized that I had a higher credit limit than expected and added a plasma screen to the cart.  He was arrested in the parking lot and had only been to one other store before...

[Corobori]

Almost three months down the road I seriously upgraded the physical security in my office. I added to my PCs the wobbler CPU alarm shown here http://www.aztec-coverpro.com/alarm.html. I also added an alarm to my office space and my house nearby.

But by the look of it it's not enough I had somebody in my backyard yesterday trying to get away with some items we had there.
Any of you knowing a website where I could find howtos to create physical traps ?
My house is located at the bottom of a hill and it seems that the fence I have is not enough. The police found up there a hidding where thieves where storing goods stolen from the surrounding houses. We have a guard around the clock between the houses but he can't see or go behind our houses so I am looking adding a few traps at some strategical points around my backyard.

Jean-Luc
http://www.corobori.com

[Virtual Charlie]

We're not allowed traps in the United States but you might want to visit someplace like x10.com for some equipment that you can use to record activities.  (BTW: I hate the way X10 presents itself but the product seems to have the best bang for the buck.  I'm still trying to convince my wife to purchase one of their combo motion lights and video camera.)

[ender]

quote:Originally posted by Corobori

Almost three months down the road I seriously upgraded the physical security in my office. I added to my PCs the wobbler CPU alarm shown here http://www.aztec-coverpro.com/alarm.html. I also added an alarm to my office space and my house nearby.

But by the look of it it's not enough I had somebody in my backyard yesterday trying to get away with some items we had there.
Any of you knowing a website where I could find howtos to create physical traps ?
My house is located at the bottom of a hill and it seems that the fence I have is not enough. The police found up there a hidding where thieves where storing goods stolen from the surrounding houses. We have a guard around the clock between the houses but he can't see or go behind our houses so I am looking adding a few traps at some strategical points around my backyard.

Jean-Luc
http://www.corobori.com

Perhaps you have a bear problem. Here's a link to a catalogue company that sells bear traps:
http://www.nwtrappers.com/catalog/traps/bear.asp
Don