NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/comp/society/privacy/850

Internet Message Format | 1992-12-22 | 2.7 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!computer-privacy-request
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1992 07:22:50 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Dave Grabowski (KxiK))
Newsgroups: comp.society.privacy
Subject: Re: The UPS clipboard
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Roy M. Silvernail) writes:
>Consider that instead of a physical paper trail, you have valuable data
>being stored electronically.  No one at UPS could tell me if that data
>was stored in the clear.  The most knowledgable person I spoke to did
>not know the term 'encryption'.  Given that I'm familiar with the
>company building the clipboards, if this product follows their usual
>design practices, it's implemented around an 8051 derivative processor
>and static RAM.  It may, in fact, store data in EEPROM to avoid
>inadvertant power loss.  Both memories' contents can be recovered by a
>skilled tech, regardless of the wishes of the host processor.  Even if
>they have gone to a more powerful processor, the memory must be held
>static for the duration of the shift.  The stored data are therefore
>vulnerable.
>
>Consider, also, that the signature may actually be the least valuable
>piece of information in that record.  How much could you tell about a
>competitor if you had access to their UPS shipping records?  In many
>cases, even the insured value of packages is recorded.
>
>No one at UPS knew of any audit trail established for the clipboards.
>The one rep told me the boards were 'dumped and cleared' at the end of
>each shift, but could not confirm that residual data was actually
>overwritten.  He also didn't know if a board could be dumped more than
>once.

  My roommate (who works for UPS) just told me a bit about the "DIAD"
boards. When UPS started with the boards, the printed a bunch of info
about them in the UPS newsletter. According to it, the boards are
"dumped and cleared" at the end of every shift. They're all placed in
one big matrix and are all basically read at once, and sit there until
the next shift. Once cleared, the information can NOT be "dumped" again.

  BTW - Apparently, those little touch-sensitive signature pads have to
be replaced about once every two weeks.

-Dave
--
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Kappa Xi Kappa - Over & Above!                         [e-mail]
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