Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 95

Lost it all? :(

I just lost my Prism, Memplug and a 32 MB CF card and I am totally bummed. My advice to every PDA owner is to get a secure reliable case and High encryption Security Program. Don�t get me wrong a PDA Case had nothing to do with my Prism getting lost. If I would have had a belt case I would never had put it down and forgot it. That�s right I forgot I put it down and walked away. I was still using the case that came packaged with the Prism. I had PDA Bomb�s High Encryption Security software installed and schedule to erase all encrypted info in addition to password protection if the Prism is not synced in two days. So I�m not worried about anyone getting any sensitive info off of it. I�m just now going to have to wait and see what�s handsprings next PDA before I buy a new one.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 75

I'm sorry to hear about that... Did you go back to where you may have left it?

Is there any way of others finding out who it belongs to, in case some kind-hearted person finds it?

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 95

Yeah I went back to where I left it. This happened at work. It�s a very large manufacturing plant with 700 employees not counting contractors and visitors. The chances of a kind-hearted person finding it and returning it are very slim. I did have return information on my power-up password protection screen so I should have gotten a call by now if there where any intensions of returning it.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 75

Is there any way of sending a company-wide email/memo?

I know it sounds crazy, but I've received a couple of mass-mails at work involving the same thing: lost articles.

It's worth a try.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 1571

Sucks

Brooklyn!

I am sorry to hear about your ordeal man! I hope that you will still find it..Don't give up hope just yet. Too bad these things don't have a some kind of tracking device built-in.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 441

LoJack?

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 38

Some laptops have anti-theft software that you can set up to email
you if the stolen laptop is ever connected to the internet. If you
had a visor phone module, presumably something like that could be
done.

Mabye the MemPlug guys can watch out for someone trying to set up
an account (on their website) using your MemPlug serial #.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 415

i have an idea for security software. sadly it would have to be built into rom for full effectiveness.... upon syncing it would send an email with the syncer's ip to a password protected page on the web. you lose your palm, you log onto that page, set it to 'notify' and you will recieve an email with the syncer's details(better yet, the complete contents of his(your) palm. wouln't be to hard to track the bugger down then...

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Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 49

Hmmm Wondering. Is your data really safe?

Did you have a SM card in the memplug that you backed up to? If so your PDABomb will most likely erase the RAM. But then they could just do a restor off your memplug. even go in and just restore the files they want like you address book etc.. Never tried it but it sounds like their is a small security problem backing up to a memplug and leaving the card in all the time.

Didn't mean to worry you if I did. You situation just got me thinking.

OrionNE

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 95

FOUND IT It was returned to security at work. The only thing missing is my 32 MB CF card. The Memplug is there but it looks like whomever had it tried to pry it from the Prism with something because there is a deep mark between the MemPlug and the Prism. I turned it on and the screen is blinking? And the only way to make it stop is by pressing the up button, which resulted in a blank white screen. I tried a hard reset to no avail. I think my best bet is to let the batteries completely drain and hope for the best after recharging. Anyone else has any other suggestions? To me it seems that the person who found it had know idea what it was and screwed it up, maybe even opened it up to bypass the security screen, and then dumped it. I didn�t care to ask who returned it. The person who returned it could have been or not been the person who screwed it up. I was just happy to have it back.

OrionNE,
I did back up to the CF card, and now to think of it I�m afraid that someone might be able to do a restore on another PDA and get my info. I don�t think that PDA BOMB protects info on the CF card. But like I said the person who had it probably didn�t know what the Prism was or know what he was doing. He did leave the memplug and never thought that using the two pegs on the memplug would help slide it out.

Thanks for the advice and sympathy everyone.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 38

I would recommend that everyone use a program like "Strip" to
protect their personal data on their visors. Even if your
files are compromised, they'd be worthless without the "Strip"
password. I switched all my password/personal data to strip
after the security advisory was issued that the PalmOS security
feature could be bypassed.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 95

I opened up the Prism and disconnected the battery, waited a few minutes, and put everything back together. The Palm Welcome screen appeared. I did a hotsync and got everything back. I inserted my GPS module and it worked' so my springport seems to be ok. I�m going to buy another CF card and hope that my Memplug is ok.
Now I have this question to ask? Is there a way of password protecting the CF card? If your CF card is lost or stolen and it was PW protected, then formatting the card would be the only way to make it usable. And at least you know your info wasn�t compromised.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 75

Brooklyn,

I'm glad all is well... As for the PW protecting of the CF card, I'm guessing that would have to be a feature of PiBackup.

I don't recall any issues of password protecting coming up in the Yahoo forums, but it's definately worth adding to future versions of the software.

PiDevelopper... Are you listening!

Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

one word: Congradulations. It shows that there still are decent people left in this currupt world of greed, lust, and politics..

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Registered: May 2001
Location:
Posts: 2

Too bad they made off with your CF card but hooray for getting your Prism back!

My son left his Visor (not a Prism, thank goodness) on a desk in a highschool classroom. We thought it was gone for good but the next day he picked it up in the office. A janitor had found it sitting on top of a pop machine.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 1

Dear Brooklyn,

I'm glad that you got your Prism back. Blinking screen is the result of PDABomb "blow off". After total memory wipe PalmOS can't start properly and only hard reset or battary removal solves this issue.
PDABomb wasn't intended to protect external cards but probably it will be implemented in the future version of PDA Defense. I'm very glad that your information on the Prism were protected by PDABomb.

Thank your for your support!

FYI: PDA Defense v2.01 will be released on this week. Visit PDADefense Web site or mail to PDADefense support team.

quote:

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Originally posted by Brooklyn
I turned it on and the screen is blinking? And the only way to make it stop is by pressing the up button, which resulted in a blank white screen. I tried a hard reset to no avail. I think my best bet is to let the batteries completely drain and hope for the best after recharging.

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__________________
Alex,
PDABomb development group.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 152

quote:

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Originally posted by Shakes
Brooklyn,

I'm glad all is well... As for the PW protecting of the CF card, I'm guessing that would have to be a feature of PiBackup.

I don't recall any issues of password protecting coming up in the Yahoo forums, but it's definately worth adding to future versions of the software.

PiDevelopper... Are you listening!

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