Back in the 80's, basically, we used O'scopes to record what people typed on their keyboard from way outside the building and wrote up reports on the info that were always classified. You always want a COMSEC mission report to be Un-Classified. There are so many ways to gain intel when the target is not TEMPEST hardened. Most security minded computer operators and/or security personnel have basic COMSEC imbedded in their mentality. The thing is to pass that on...

Actually, TMK, most of us get up around sunrise and go outdoors. Maybe to spend the day at the beach (if they are not working). For sure the children do and to look at most of them.... something else is going on. Diet? I really think the small sample of the test was not enough to make judgment or rather a scientific proof/theory be valid.

... Look at the overweight+ people in Hawaii. And we live in the sun virtually year round!

And yet, if I change what my browser reports, it will work fine. Go figure.

Good point. It's a Dell. But if I did not have HD encryption anyway, what good would changing the bios do? Allow them to boot whatever external OS of their choosing? So be it. I would have lost the box, but not the data on my HD (unless they really, really, really, want it). :)

"No default password could be secure. The only way is to force password change on first use." Normally I'd agree with this, however a sibling of mine passed away and I wound up with a laptop that I could not change the BIOS. Fortunately through a quick google search, I was able to find default passwords used by the manufactures to allow access to the issue. Problem solved.

"enjoy challenges, and am perfectly willing to spend hours and hours for months on end to learn command line." The only real Linux is Slackware. You have total control of what daemons your running so it is a very secure system, you just have to keep up with the daemons your running, and Patrick V. takes care of that. It has a package manager, an easy install system, and if you start out with a full install, you will not be disappointed. If you really want to know Linux, then Slackware is the way to go.

SANS Internet Storm Center
to find out what may make my customers computers silly. :)