warning against notebook theft
Remember the experiment that me and my colleague Wilson did to determine whether it is possible to triangulate a bluetooth signal of a hibernating notebook (with a cellphone)? (if you don’t, check out the findings inside this thread of comments here in this post).
We did it out of curiousity over some claims that notebook thieves are using this method to determine the presence of a notebook inside car trunks. Well, if you did follow the comments, you’ll know that it’s NOT POSSIBLE. That was only determined after the second isolated test, which was confirmed by my buddy Wilson. But my boss, we forgot to inform him about the finalized findings, and he went about telling the BIG BIG bosses about our experiment and how it is possible to scan a notebook inside a car trunk with a fucking cellphone - and credited the experiment to Wilson and I.
I was like “Oh shit” when I read that the security director was about to send out a formal memo to remind employees that ‘it is technically possible’ to detect a hibernating notebook with a fucking cellphone - which is as much mythical as a fluorescent dragon with a hexagon shaped testical. I had to send out an email to clarify the misunderstanding (my reputation’s on the line here bebeh)
Here’s my email to the big dawgs
*****
All
The previous experiment was botched. When we performed the experiment, we sort of received unwanted stray signals (as the experiment was performed inside the office).
Later, Wilson performed the experiment again in an isolated location and determined, that, when the notebook is in suspend mode (lid closed), the bluetooth device will be switched off and there will be no means to triangulate it. So to say, it is as detectable as a piece of dead rock.
(we somehow forgot to update [boss' name] about our latest findings hence the misunderstanding)
I suspect the modus operandi of most notebook thieves is, to recognize by dress code. It’s not hard to spot somebody who works in an office, who’s more likely to have a notebook inside his car than… say… a 70 years old housewife with weight problem?
I’ve been a victim myself. (I wear too smart sometimes)
So the best practice is still the old school precaution - go straight home after work. If there’s a need to drop somewhere after work, lug your notebook along. Don’t leave anything of value inside the car. Avoid dark alleys and ghetto areas.
(this is to clear the misunderstanding)
Thanks.
Michael Ooi
Failure Analysis Engineer - [Company X].
Direct Line (office): [phone number]
Direct Line (lab) : [phone number]
Direct Fax: [fax number]
*”You don’t win friends with salad” — Homer Simpson*
*****
I don’t understand, why do people worry about thieves using gadgets to detect their notebook inside their car trunk, if they’re wise enough not to leave it inside there in the first place? Why can’t everyone make it a practice not to leave their notebooks inside their car trunk? It’s so simple, really. It astounds me about how our society works sometimes.