Concerned about the safety of laptops

US researchers have said that encrypted information stored on laptops is much more unsafe than people think.

Many people assume that data in variable memory is retained for only a few seconds after the computer is turned off. The Princeton University team found that data including encryption keys do not disappear after a power outage that can be accessed over a period of up to several minutes. Variable memory is often used in RAM for temporary storage of programs and

Disk encryption is the main method that companies and governments use to protect sensitive information. The main problem is keeping the encryption key secret. According to Professor Felten, recent coding has become a hot topic after some laptops contain lost or stolen personal files. The reason is due to the encryption key needed to retrieve encrypted files still in laptop memory for a few seconds or minutes. In theory, this time is enough for a key access hacker from memory chips. Professor Felten said the real concern is that the laptop is taken away while it is open or in sleep or hibernation mode. In these modes, the device is not running, but the information is still stored in RAM to allow it to function quickly again. If someone stole a laptop, disconnected the power and then re-attached it, they would be able to access the contents of the memory, including the key encryption key.

Professor Felten and his research team found that laptop cooling will support the ability to store data in memory chips. Under normal conditions, the information is stored in the memory for about 15 seconds, a laptop that is cooled at about -50 degrees C will keep the information in memory for about 10 minutes or more. He thinks the best way is to turn off the computer for a few minutes before switching to another protection. Professor Felten also hopes that encrypted products will use new methods to better protect information.