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High security attache cases?

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paranoidguy
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 12:17 pm    Post subject: High security attache cases? Reply with quote

I've been recently looking into buying an attache case for business use in which I would keep my laptop, business and private documents while on business trips. I'm well aware that an attache case isn't quite the same as a blast-proof safe, that if someone really wants he could simply take it given the opportunity to do so. However, it's still much better than the average nylon bag and may keep some "thiefs by opportunity" out of the way. So, I'd like to hear if anyone has any recommendations in particular?

My requirements are that it's a relatively slim and light-weight attache case, that it's got enough space for a medium-size laptop, paper documents/files and perhaps a few other things like cell phone, PDA etc. The material should be something that's not easily cut open and the attache case should preferrably have a combination lock (don't like keys that much) that's not cracked easily, i.e. the hotel cleaning lady won't be able to crack it before her shift ends.

I did a search myself and found Rimowa Silver Safe, a really nice looking aluminium/magnesium attache case with a double combination lock. It may be a bit too flashy to some, but I was thinking of keeping it mostly in my luggage anyway, so that's not a concern to me. Anyone with experience of this or similair aluminium/magnesium attache cases? I was also looking at Samsonite but couldn't find anything that directly appealed to me, although I didn't go through their whole web site so I might have missed something...
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M3DU54
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 12:09 am    Post subject: Re: High security attache cases? Reply with quote

paranoidguy wrote:
I'm well aware that an attache case isn't quite the same as a blast-proof safe, that if someone really wants he could simply take it given the opportunity to do so. However, it's still much better than the average nylon bag and may keep some "thiefs by opportunity" out of the way. So, I'd like to hear if anyone has any recommendations in particular?


The flashier the case the more likely it is to get stolen ... in fact, if its real flashy (or handcuffed to your arm) there are those that would quite happily take your hand off just to find out whats inside.

At the end of the day, you cannot secure an attache case short of rigging it to explode ;) And the more obvious your attempts are, the more opportunists you will attract. That nice cleaning lady may have money difficulties yet shes seen enough unprotected attache cases and never felt the urge...

... yours, however. Promises untold riches ... possibly stufffed full of dirty cash or maybe a jewely sample case .... face it, your flashy case is gonna walk out on its own or be taken at knifepoint - where an old battered carrier is probably never going to get a second look. But theres always the hotel safe :)

Your best bet ? Get a regular black (or better, worn brown) combi case ... nothing flash. When leaving it in the hotel you could always place a one of those very loud piezo-horn motion alarms. Sure, your case could be stolen, or cut open ... but whos going to take the time to do that when they have a 115db warbler going off in a small hotel room ?

IMO a magnesium supercase is niiice - just be aware that its going to attract the more determined thief and turn a lot of opportunistics heads ;)


But I could be wrong.

-Meds
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stimpy99
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 12:49 am    Post subject: Re: High security attache cases? Reply with quote

paranoidguy wrote:
However, it's still much better than the average nylon bag and may keep some "thiefs by opportunity" out of the way.


This is a difficult one. A nylon bag or rucksack is ok if you look like a student. A nylon bag when wearing a $1000 suit looks like you are carrying a laptop. A cool briefcase when you are wearing jeans and a T-shirt get's you pulled over by the police (I know I Was!!).

It is more to do with Risk Assessment. If some bad person want's something they *will* get it. But how much do you spend to stop the opportunistic "drug user" (generalisation I know!) stealing your stuff?

Better would be to insure that if you "lost" your laptop then no commercially sensitive papers were lost and the encryption on your laptop would keep the average cracker out of you data.

So, hey, you lose your laptop, but you get another couriered out to you the next day and are able to securely connect to the office to download your required documents.

Also as M3DU54 said, would you like to lose a hand or get a f**king good kicking for a works laptop? I used to work for a Council in a less than nice area of London. When I started all the techs were running around with laptops in bags with Compaq written on the side in big red letters!!!!!!

I got all my team little HP 360 palmtops on which they could do all their work, running telnet, Citrix etc.

Bruce Schneier covers alot of this security stuff in his book "Secrets and Lies", a well worth read.

But hey, I've bought a decent breifcase made out of Chinese Rosewood - just coz it was f**king cool!!!!!
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acidrain
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I actually bought some random cheap alluminium attache case from ebay, it was like $40 and it looked like any other you see on tv, it has a combo lock, just like most do, works great for my laptop, but yeah, flashy is def more likely to get stolen. Someone sees a nice attache case in a locked care, or they see a nylon bag, they will almost always ignore the bag and go for the nice case..
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