How to protect system from cloning?

[Clece]

Hello there,

I would like to protect a Linux system from cloning, I don't mind if the cloned hard drive works in the same computer, but I need to avoid it to work in other one, even if it uses exactly same mainboard model and rest of computer parts. I want the cloned system to get frozen or simply restart continously if it's used in another computer.

I found a thread in other forum that talks about a test of the NIC interface's MAC. It could be a good solution.

The issue is that I have no information at all about how to do it, nor the software to use. Of course, I would like it to be as "unbreakable" as possible.

Many regards in advance

[anika200]

Surely you do not expect someone to give away to you such a solution? Does this have anything to do with newbie support besides giving you the answers to the exam?

[Clece]

Surely you do not expect someone to give away to you such a solution? Does this have anything to do with newbie support besides giving you the answers to the exam?

Many thanks for your answer, anika200,

I'm sorry if it's not the correct section of the forum where asking about it, I didn't find another ones that seemed to me really appropiate. Pleas move the thread to the correct place, and I really apologize for my mistake.

I don't expect anyone to give me the total solution, but I would thank any kind of guideline, ideas or help.

Regards

[kubicle]

You should look into full disk encryption, all other measures you can take can be undone with relative ease.

[claydoh]

This is a fine section for the question

It may be possible to restrict cloning in the way that you want, but the reality is that if someone has physical access to your drive and your data, they will be able to see what is in it, copying the system won't prevent that.


Probably the best bet is to encrypt your data.
During the installation of Ubuntu/Kubuntu, there is an option to encrypt the user's /home folder
One can also create and use encrypted folders

[Clece]

Many thanks, kubicle and claydoh,

TPM could be a great solution, but it means adding more hardware since it's not included on motherboard, so it's discard (I need a method that doesn't require special hardware)

The user must be able to use the computer, add new drives or even format hard drive using a tool in a usb drive if he needs. It's even desirable (althought not 100% needed) that user can make a backup of the system disk via cloning, and restoring it when needed. BUT I don't want the user to clone disk and use the operative system and all configurations and programs in a different machine, since it's intended to be used only on this computer (I hope that my explanation is ok, hehe)

I know that there is no infallible method for this, but I'm also sure there is some way. It's better having a security method that can be skipped to have no security method at all. If I add some kind of protection, at least the user will have to make some research.

I've been reading something about hostid, and if I can tie the operative system to something depending on hardware, it is an important "first step" (but as you say, it's easy to break)

Full disk encryption seems the best way, but, how can I do it?

Must be kept in mind that I can't make a complete reinstall of the system to do it. I mean... I have now my "master" cloning image that I deploy on all the machines, so I need someway to prevent to clone again the install once deployed on every target machine. It's no problem if I have to use some time on everyone of those target machines, but installing operative system and configuring and installing everything in everyone of them is not an option.

Many thanks again, I hope someone can lend me a hand.

Regards

[anika200]

Many thanks for your answer, anika200,

I'm sorry if it's not the correct section of the forum where asking about it, I didn't find another ones that seemed to me really appropiate. Pleas move the thread to the correct place, and I really apologize for my mistake.

I don't expect anyone to give me the total solution, but I would thank any kind of guideline, ideas or help.

Regards

Re-reading my post, I was to hard on your questioning. I just woke up, apparently on the wrong side of the bed.

[Clece]

Re-reading my post, I was to hard on your questioning. I just woke up, apparently on the wrong side of the bed.

I have to admit that it's what I thought when reading your answer, hehe. Anyone can in a given moment and unintentionally write something that seems hard, I only can thank you for this second post

Regards