Comments on: Make Your Data Secure with PDA Restrictor

It isn't news to most savvy Palm users that the security built into the OS isn't very robust. The recent announcement by @Stake that anyone with developer tools can access data on Palm handhelds that have been locked with a password just brought this to the attention of a wider audience. However, IS/Complete's PDA Restrictor goes a long way towards closing the gaping holes. It is the only security program to pass Palm's Platinum testing program.
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ReadThis & Padlock Plus

gellmanb @ 3/13/2001 11:56:41 AM #
After trying a bunch of alternatives, I've been using two shareware products that seem to work well for me. I would be interested in any informed opinions of their vulnerability.

1. Padlock Plus (the hack) to provide log on security for my Palm. This I recognize has limitations. I set the delay to an hour: any time the Palm has been off that long, PP asks for a startup password. I'm not sure whether you could sync to a fresh Palm Desktop without the password though.

2. For any really sensitive information (account numbers, passwords), I use ReadThis! (application and hack). I like the flexibility: it can encrypt part or all of any text in any field. I use it in attached Notes and in Memo pad. One concern, though: how hard would it be to crack? I've been assuming the NSA and any good cryptographer with time and computing cycles can do it, but that's not my primary threat. ;-) I wouldn't like to think any cracker can do it with some downloaded warez.

Bart

RE: ReadThis & Padlock Plus
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/13/2001 1:35:15 PM #
I was also a user of ReadThis for a while, and loved it. The only reason I got rid of it was that I didnt like having to go to the website to decrypt from the desktop.

I have since moved to eWallet which meets all my needs perfectly.

PS Is a Palm supposedly "locked" by JotLoc also susceptible to those security "holes"?

encryption
PFloyd @ 3/13/2001 3:25:48 PM #
I think only Certicom's Secure Memo Pad really encrypts data on the Palm in a verifiable way. And it looks like it's no longer available on http://download.certicom.com.
Last year PGP announced PGP for the Palm. I didn't see anything on the site and called and no one I'd talked to seem to know what a Palm was. NAI has a PGP Wireless for Palm 1.0 but I'm not sure what it does exactly.
I use TealLock myself for general Palm Security but it's susceptable to the problems pointed out by @stake. I wrote them a letter and they're working a solution.
two cents

Security

Eston Bond @ 3/14/2001 6:22:25 AM #
For powerful data encryption, I like PDA Bomb. It has 128-bit encryption. Otherwise, SignOn's signature security is nice.
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