Disable Booting for Win32 System

[rlr]

Hello All,

First: What I am trying to do.

Write a program that when run will disable the booting on a Win32 NT, 2K, XP system.

Second: The reason to write this program.

We have had instances where employees who have company laptops have had to be "un-hired" while not at our office. In the last instance the "former" employee deleted quite a bit of data from their system, before returning it to us. I was able to recover most of the data with some undelete utils and FTK.

I would like to avoid all of the problems involved with reconstructing deleted data, by simply being able to send a "patch" file to the employee and having their system disabled.

Personally, this is not a program I am wild about writing, but I have found it interesting so far. I have some stubbed out Perl code, which validates the OS and reboots the system, now just looking for the least distructive way to disable booting.

Thanks

[SirDice]

I think it's rather simple. Don't allow these types of employees to take home that data. And make backups.

I would like to avoid all of the problems involved with reconstructing deleted data, by simply being able to send a "patch" file to the employee and having their system disabled.

What stopping them from not running your patch?

How about this "former" employee using a boot floppy/cd and wiping the drive? I mean really zero filling it or with random data. You can forget about ever restoring that.

Some problems cannot be solved using technology.

[Kite]

i agree. there is nothing you can really do to prevent an employee from vandalizing(sp?) your laptops. there is any number of things they could do, from using a program like Troubleshooter to low level format the drive to taking a few industrial strength magnets (which are easily obtained) and waving them over the laptop. the only fesable solution is to either not let them take home company equipment, or fire them at work.

[jinxy]

I think the only true answere to your problem lies in the technology being discussed HERE

[Kite]

or, i just realized, you could just put script logic on all your laptops. that way you can disable acces to system folders, maybe even the flopy drive.

[SirDice]

How about a contract that states the employee is liable for damages etc...
(isn't that standard practice?)

They destroy your data, you sue their ass..

[rlr]

I understand the fact I can't control every thing, the person could be crossing the street with their laptop and be hit by a bus, or be struck by lightning etc... (ad nauseam).

Our data is secure as it can be expected backup policies, archival policies.... Many of our employees spend weeks at a time away from our office. Most of the time they are at the backside of nowhere, 28k dialup the best that can be expected.

I'm simply looking to add another tool that I can use if needed.

r

[rlr]

Originally posted here by SirDice
How about a contract that states the employee is liable for damages etc...
(isn't that standard practice?)

They destroy your data, you sue their ass..

You also have to prove malice, oops I just deleted my work directory while I was doing some file cleanup. Have you ever sued a former employee? Its expensive, and depending on your state laws the burden of proof can be huge.