Kiosk Mode

Recently there was a large RFP for kiosk enclosures (at a federal cemetery). The procuring office indicated that no computers would be required as they had existing stock of some older Dell laptops. The laptops run Windows 7 (consumer edition). Deploying self-service computers with an unsupported (and often hacked) operating system in order to save $20 is a common mistake.

We often find windows computers, in particular, to be highly vulnerable in public locations. As a “white hat” we probably get into 50% of those computers one way or another. If they have personal data, that brings in to bear some pretty hefty HIPAA violations, especially in the medical field.

Bootup is the most vulnerable period for a public computer. Usually fairly easy to locate the power plug and unplug the unit. If you go really cheap, then you didn’t bother to use an UPS either.

And having been in the role several years as IT manager, we can tell you that as earnest and well-intentioned in-house technical gurus like to fancy themselves, at best they have to educate themselves first in order to eliminate access and data (cache files) to any reasonable degree. Our advice has remained the same over the years for those techs. Use a robust and mature lockdown system and see what it does. It has been hacked over the years (all software has been hacked and then adjusted if it is any good). Imitation is the sincere form of flattery. Don’t learn at the expense of your customers (or your legal settlement fund).

Kiosk Mode Software Providers