Do you need the extra security of a Mobiu?

Maybe your computer, your extranet, and your laptop is already protected by the need to type in a username and password. What are the added benefits of a Mobiu?

The chances are your present username and password do not offer very robust protection. When you turn your computer on, the log-in screen already shows your username - all a hacker needs to do is guess your password and they can access your computer. How guess-proof is your password?

Indeed, maybe they don't even need that. Do you have a 'Guest' account on your computer? Maybe there is a default guest account that allows anyone to access your computer without a password. Or maybe the Administrator account also has a vulnerable password. Or perhaps there is another user account on the system which has no password. Or perhaps you have shared drives that could be accessed by connecting your computer to a second computer.

Even if none of these very basic vulnerabilities are present, a motivated hacker can probably break through the default Windows security and access the data on your hard drive. There are even various 'hacker' utilities that can reset the Administrator password on a computer, giving the person who used the utility complete access to the computer's contents. A skilled hacker can get into your password protected computer in less than 15 seconds.

If your computer is fixed in place, in your office or at home, your vulnerability to data or identity theft from a stranger is low, because a thief first must break in to your home or office. If you connect to the internet via a broadband connection you will probably be protected by a firewall. Whilst you are connected you are vunerable. If you use hosted space such as BT Workspace, your access is only protected by a username and password. If you travel with a laptop, your vulnerability goes sky-high, because your laptop is much more vulnerable to being stolen.
In the USA Laptop thefts are sharply increasing. 53% more laptops were stolen in 2001 than in 2000. In 2002, this number is believed to have increased by at least a further 15%, up to a staggering 620,000 (more than one every minute). In the Uk some 68 MoD laptops had been stolen in 2007, 66 in 2006, 40 in 2005 and 173 in 2004.

http://software.silicon.com/security/0,39024655,39166970,00.htm
“Total number of UK laptop thefts reported in 2006**

The top five regions by police force:

1. Metropolitan Police (6,576)
2. West Yorkshire (2,402)
3. Thames Valley (2,149)
4. Leicestershire (1,219)
5. Bedfordshire (938)
** In our enquiry we deliberately discounted laptops stolen from homes or offices to get a clearer picture of threat posed specifically by the greater mobility of laptops compared to desktop computers.”

In the UK the Nationwide were fined £1m in 2007 for the data that was exposed on a laptop that was stolen.

In one test case, 70 of 100 lost laptops proved to have vulnerable data. In another, one in three password protected computers were quickly defeated.

Plainly, it is prudent to secure your laptop as robustly as possible.

SIM assured protection - what you get

When you buy a Mobiu, you get a USB Mobiu device. The device is protected by SIM assured technology, you might recognise this as “chip and pin”. If you take out the “chip”, you cannot use the key and your data is safe. You can disable the key remotely by ringing the helpline. Your data is safe.

You can order a replacement key and you can access your data.

Originally the concept was developed within Vodafone, and now by the Key Revolution Ltd. In addition to the security benefits each Mobiu comes with:

Softmaker office suite, a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation package that will work with your Microsoft or Open Office files. This loads from the stick, and will not leave any imprint of the file on the PC. It is as though you were never there. This means that you can load sensitive documents onto other companies, or other people's PC's and they wont get a copy. For further details see http://www.softmaker.com/english/ofp_en.htm

A browser, the Firefox browser works from the stick, so again, your browsing is secure and hidden from others. Ideal for visiting consultants.

Shared space, you can share files with trusted users who also have a Mobiu. This is ideal for organisations that collaborate over a wide geographic area, or make good use of home working. This gives you added document control. You will only need one version of the same file, essential when working on projects .There is no need for sending documents via e-mail. Indeed some larger documents such as graphics, photographs, databases etc can be difficult and time consuming to send. E-mail is not the most secure way to send sensitive data, using the Mobiu is an attractive alternative.

Mobiu will be launched in mid July 2008 and has a programme of developments planned out.
The Mobiu is compatible with all PC systems that have a USB and either Windows 2000/2003, Windows XP. News on Vista, Mac and Linux is expected in the next few weeks.

Installation – The good news is that there is no installation. Everything will work straight from the stick. On your first use you will probably want to back up your desktop and key files. This may take a few minutes. Once completed each update is done on a file by file basis.
Use on Multiple Computers – your files will be accessible to you on any computer, and safely. The Mobiu is portable, felxible and easy to use.

For multi-user, multi-computer, network environments, Mobiu can be configured to be a safe alternative to memory keys, home access portals, or extranets. The Network Administrator can be given a 'master key' and the ability to create keys set up for specific user groups or a user who has lost/broken his key. Because these duplicate keys can be instantly created on site, the downtime from a lost/damaged key is reduced to almost zero.

Where to Buy

Mobiu will be widely available from mid July 2008 onwards. You might even like to buy from us!

Opportunity to undertake a trial

We are keen to undertake user trials, particularly in the Education sector. So if you are part of a University, College or School, do get in touch. We can pass on some price benefits for being a test site. Your feedback will help develop the software, and therefore you will have the chance to shape the Mobiu to your needs.

Why do new products wear you out?

Leibson's Law: It takes 10 years for any disruptive technology to become pervasive in the design community. (http://www.edn.com/blog/980000298/post/710019871.html)

With Airsound and the Sonic Soundscape we have found that many people like listening, we get some rave reviews, but there is a lot of resistance. From the "Hi Fi buff" that doesn't believe its possible (and has their own listening chair so they can be the only one in the room that can hear the stereo properly), to the manufacturer that hopes that there wont be a disruptive change in the market.

As humans we don't like being wrong. If you consider yourself an expert and have invested with thought and your pocket you buy in emotionally to a solution. It is then difficult to change your mind. A reviewer turned up to a Soundscape presentations with the intention to write “it doesn't work”. At the end of the presentation he suggested that he wouldn't write the review – all well and good, but he was not prepared to be positive.

We work to identify the “innovators”, the people who will buy. They are not often located where you think they will be. In the last couple of weeks we have been preparing to take on a new product called Mobiu, a PC on a stick. One of its key benefits is that it has a SIM card (Chip and pin). This is the only way of accessing online hosted space. The first thing we do is to get feedback from different people. Its always a bit of fun finding out “who wants one.” Innovators change with each project as buying habits and emotions are different for each product you purchase. Doing this helps identify potential barriers.

In today's IT security market there are many types of encryption that are used to make online security safe but accessible. I don't for instance have online bank access as I can't remember the long passwords and don't want to put them on a pin board. The ultimate safety is not to have access. With the Mobiu there is no access, unless you have the SIM card. In asking the first few IT specialists the first feedback was “.... and what encryption is being used?.... if it hasn't got XYZ encryption it wont work”. This may help us identify the “special Hi Fi buff” who is locked into the solution of their choice.

Peter Gabriel and B&W have recently launched a high quality download club. One of the major papers reviewed saying that they have never paid more than £250 for speakers and couldn't tell if it was high quality or not – complete disinterest!

Online bloggers are saying that they want this service – but from a larger company. Clearly Peter Gabriel and B&W, despite being well respected are not large companies.

New products can wear you out if you approach everyone in the market all at once. You will meet a lot of Hi Fi buffs or complete disinterest when searching for your innovators.