Bitcoin Forum

I started a discussion on the KNC miner thread about protecting your high end mining equipment from theft. I'd like to open it up to wider discussion in this section of the forum.


The first suggestion was this tracking chip http://www.thetileapp.com/ Seems like a good idea, but it's very new product and I doubt there are many actually in use yet. Potentially good in a couple of years.

A few suggestions related to gps trackers that are used in plant machinery and cars to track if they are stolen (e.g. lojack). This is a potential solution, but these devices tend to be powered by car battery (so not suitable for use in a miner). Or they have build in long life batteries, which usually means they are bulky and expensive.

Also, stripping down a mobile phone and using that to transmit location was suggested. A good idea, but would need to find some way to keep the mobile battery constantly charged up and working for longer than mobile batteries usually last.

Then a suggestion of a gps module, which I like the most.

I'm doing my research on this, but I feel like I'm reinventing the wheel. Surely people who own high end industrial machinery ($20k cnc lathes etc) must have some security attached, rather than just a peelable sticker saying "Property of Company XYZ"? :)

My ideal solution would be:
1. Some kind of bare PCB board that could be attached inside the case of a miner. It would looks like it's part of the machine, so it's function as a tracking device is covert. Would be nice if it worked on rechargeable batteries, which were always kept topped up by the power supply to the miner. That way, if the miner was stolen, it would emit gps location data until the batteries were dead, which hopefully would be at least a week, giving time to get the cops involved for a recovery.

2. The next option, which is okay but not great, would be something similar that transmit when the machine is powered up. Much more risky, as you'd have to rely on the theives to plug it in at least once.

3. Your thoughts?

I would get 3 Really Big Dogs..

There has already been suggestions of dogs and 12 Gauge shotguns :D I was hoping for something more hi-tech and potentially useful to everybody (not every country allow gun ownership etc).

I've been researching and found a gps tracker which is actually very close to what I want. It has a feature called geo-fence (not at all ironic when talking about stolen goods  :D ) which will send a text message to your phone if your miner goes outside of a certain area of your city or a block in your neighbourhood. It also sends GPS tracking data and you can text it for it's present gps location. Which is very good. It seems to be a piece of cheap kit from China (google "Realtime Mini SPY Tracker Drive Vehicle Car" if interested).

The big drawback is it's very power hungry and the battery doesn't appear to last long. They suggest you buy a charger to hardwire it to a car battery to keep it juiced up. They say the battery is 3.7V.

This might be a terribly stupid question, I don't know, but can anyone tell me if it's possible to charge a 3.7V battery off a standard PC PSU?

Kensington lock. (there's holes in the miner, right..?)

A simple dc-dc converter will work as a good battery charger combine that with a diode so the battery doesn't go flat when the charger is off

look on ebay they are less than $10 for a very good quality dc-dc converter  

I found this for about $3 :) http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-Converter-12V-Step-down-to-3-7V-3A-Power-Supply-Module-Waterproof-Stable-/121159265150

So what kind of diode would you use to keep the battery from draining?

you guys do realize that your fancy GPS tracking devices can be disabled with a $20 jammer, right?

I would use something like this > http://www.ebay.com/itm/LM2596HV-DC-Voltage-Regulator-Power-Converter-Step-Down-Power-Supply-Module-3A-/321185390322?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac8241ef2

as you can adjust to voltage and cater for the diode voltage drop

I would use a diode like this >  http://www.ebay.com/itm/25-x-1N4001-Diode-1A-50V-Free-Shipping-/260812176326?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb99dfbc6

depending on the amps you might need to use a couple of diodes in parallel

I have used a similar setup for charging my lifepo4 battery's you might not need the diode if there is one built into the dc-dc step down converter  

I was considering a 10-16 gun safe with ac'd air piped in and out 3-4" inlet/outlets.

Something like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/SentrySafe-14-Gun-59-in-Combination-Lock-Gun-Safe-G5241/100196980

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/13/1391a0c5-6514-4858-baca-3e9373cdedae_300.jpg

Bolt it to the wall and floor and mount up your gear inside it.

Almost all home burgleries never touch the safe.  They grab what they can and get out.

That's cool. It says it's adjustable, but I don't have any equipment to measure what the output is, so that is why I plumped for one that explicitly said "12v to 3.7V step down". Probably fairly obvious I'm not an electronics expert  :)

For the diode - I guess you would put that on the + cable from the 3.7V side of the dc-dc converter to the battery charger connector?

I have no access to one of these, but it would probably be ideal. My only concern would be whether a 3-4" outlet would be enough to allow proper exhaust of hot air? Also, how would you drill a 3-4" hole in a safe?  :o

if you use a diode there will be a voltage drop that's why I said about the adjustable one also you would want to connect it directly to the battery and have the voltage set at the float charge voltage of the battery you would only need a volt meter to set the voltage

I would do it for you and send it on to you but the postage from the us would cost more than a volt meter

if you need help with any of it I can talk you threw it :)

if you want to use the internal charge controller wont that be a usb charger in that case you can get one of these >    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-step-down-Converter-8V-20V-9V-12V-16V-to-5V-USB-output-Mobile-Phone-charger-/251309519484?pt=UK_Phones_PhoneLeads_RL&hash=item3a8336f27c

I'm not peddling anything and have no idea about this site but thought it looked decent for what was asked - http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/product/spark+nano+gps+tracking+device.do?sortby=bestSellers&from=fn

A much geekier option is an arduino with GPS but the battery life sucks.  They have dog collars with GPS modules (for expensive hunting dogs) but the battery life is only decent and it's hard to conceal...

Seems to be much the same tech as the "Realtime Mini SPY Tracker Drive Vehicle Car" device I mentioned above. Hard to know if it's the same tech in a pretty case and $100 more expensive, or actually a quality build with long battery life. Thanks for pointing it out, will see what the reviews are like for it.

EDIT: Found review which says battery lasts 23 hours (http://gps-tracker-review.toptenreviews.com/spark-nano-review.html). Not great for the price.

Wow, just found one of these for a cat! http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-GTU-GPS-Tracking-Unit/dp/B004HFRA7A
The cat does not look impressed  ;D
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51viRHVy3ZL.jpg

you guys do realize that your fancy GPS tracking devices can be disabled  right?

Security tip - don't take photo's of your miner and post on forums if you use ios device, as it *can* include gps data which someone could use to track down where you live and steal your tech:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=239354.0
If you must, seems an easy way to get rid of the tagging is save image as a bitmap (which strips out all this data), then convert back to jpg.

But the story that kills me the most during my research is this guy who has his Batch 2 Avalon (worth $30k?) stolen and the only security he had was a fault webcam! Unbelievable
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=238517.0

By the time you setup the security net, it already turned into a heater, due to skyrocketing difficulty :D

Once your room is secured release some deadly toxins or air born disease into the room and never enter that room ever again.

So I found something that'll do this - a GPS receiver you plug into a USB port. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gosget-BU-373-GPS-USB-Receiver-USB-Dongle-20-Ch-On-Sale-/221264986967
All you'll need is a bit of software that will send the gps coordinates from it to to a php script. I imagine that's probably not too hard.

However, I now think this would be a fairly useless approach. The thief would need to power up the miner AND connect to wifi for this to work.


So I'm still looking into my ideal option of battery powered GPS device, with a sim card, that can be texted for gps location etc. Most of these devices seem to have short battery life, but there should be a way round that.

booby traps work in the movies

if you need a hand with electronics give me a shout

Guard your mining equipment with people and dogs for three months.  After that it is not worth stealing. 

I'll definitely be getting in contact with you if I need to do some custom wiring, thanks :)

Actually this is pretty true! Maybe I could hire myself out as a bitcoin miner body guard? I will stand behind the door with a baseball bat and zonk anyone who attempt to break in and steal your miner ;D Payment in BTC

Haven't explored it, but this looks useful too http://www.mologogo.com

have you considered using mobile phone and install map my ride and setting in on your wifi then and also have 3g so it auto changes over you would only need a cheap £30 android phone and a usb charger

Thought of this, battery life is the main issue. Which cheap £30 android phone would you recommend?

I had it working on a vivacity before gets about 6h unplugged maybe just wire a bigger battery to it :)

Yep, the mobile + big battery is one of the options I'm thinking about.

The other main one is the gps tracker I mentioned earlier in this thread. The fact you can text it and it sends back gps coordinates and google maps link is a big bonus. Those tracker devices seem to have better battery life than a mobile too.

Still weighing up the options and seeing what else is out there. Thanks for your suggestions - I may still be getting back to you if I need to do some freaky wiring experiments 8)

haha

Depending on where you live, but Ill be securing mine in a old shipping container.  In Aus, you can buy them for about $3k.  Lots of roof to run solar too.

here in the uk you can get them for around £1,000 inc delivery

I think insurance and motion sensor cameras with alerts is about all you can do. Especially if your just using your house. If you had a Minirig or Avalon you could probably slip a gps unit or a prepaid phone with gps inside.

Good call. I didn't know you could buy these which send sms alerts and also take photos if the sensor is tripped.

Yep, this is the solution I keep coming back to. But a factor I hadn't realised until today is the potential problems with heat. I don't know how hot it gets inside an avalon or minirig, but if it gets too hot, li-ion batteries can start to deteriorate and even explode :o

Maybe a lo-tech solution would be best after all?  ;D

http://www.dobermantalk.com/attachments/doberman-related-chat/5399d1234221714-dog-signs-12324.jpg

ummm locking your houses door?

I love the dog sign!!

This should do:


http://www.undeadreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/_hammer_069_a.jpg

Using a data center could be a good security measure.

Get them insured for one.  Depending on who's dishing it out and what you are paying.  You could get the miner paid for if it was boosted. Take pictures of your shit. Where it is an any identifying marks.  Perhaps the community could come up with a bar code serial number system for miner units.  So if this shit hits a pawn shop it's got something for the books. And that's only if a pawn shop takes it. Most of the time they require to see the item working.  LoL how many thiefs will really know what they have?.

Getting crafty is an option as well.  Hide that shit in something they would not think to open.  Ie a chest freezer.  Unless they plan on boosting a fozen pizza one could just stash this someplace and not have to worry about anyone really

Another lo-fi option to consider, after stumbling on this hilarious video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIbkLjjlMV8

lead me to this motion activated sprinkler
http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Scarecrow-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B000071NUS

I actually think some unsuspecting thief getting a faceful of cold water in the middle of the night might make them feel they've been busted and run away

Yep, I think some semi-anonymous bitcoin tech registry would be a good idea. Serial number, link to some website. If someone types in the serial number of a recovered item, they can be put in touch with the rightful owner.

This is a cool idea. I suppose you could have some covert outlet from the back of the freezer for miner heat to be exhausted. Most people expect heat and noise to come from the back of a freezer anyway, so I think, as you say, a thief wouldn't even notice it. You can get freezers with locks too can't you? And it not unusual to have freezers in a garage either? This is a really good suggestion, thanks Darktongue.

It's weird isn't it? A hairdryer, a laptop, a camera all have model numbers. Many also have a unique serial number too, so the manufacturer/owner can identify them. The owner, so they can identify if stolen. The manufacturer, so they can identify when it was manufacturered and if the warranty has expired etc.

And yet these mining companies are churning out machines without any identifiable markings. You gotta wonder...

I bet they don't even put a paper invoice with the orders!

Yes 4" inlet/outlet will easily be enuf.  A couple new drill bits and a handfull of sawzall blades will make a 4" hole in a safe.  Put the intake down low, the exhaust up high.  You can easily get 6-10K btu of cooling thru a set of 4" holes.  Thats enuf cooling to cool down 2-3Kwatts of equipment..  So 4-5 Avalons..  or 8-10 BFL ASIC Singles..  Etc..

GPS does not work well indoors, unless it is near a window. GPS will not work at all inside any PC case. Since by nature it has to be online to mine and would probably be powered up eventually anyway, there are several GeoIP programs you could install to phone home over the net. That would at least give you an approximate physical location, and a MAC address the local ISP could pin down to a user. A cellphone duct-taped to the case will just get stolen separately.

It would be hard to effectively hide, because of the heat and noise. If you have big bucks invested in a miner, invest small bucks on a door that you can't open with a crowbar, for a start!

1) Get an alarm that will send a text to your phone if it is tripped.

2) Get SelectaDNA and daub it all over your rig.

3) Write down the serial numbers of everything. (Stuff that does not have serial numbers will be marked with the S-DNA kit anyway.)

As other people have said:

4) Get Kensington locks or even just chains and padlocks. When your alarm is screaming, all that the thief wants to do is grab something and run off there will be no time to cut a chain.

Elaborating on another suggestion.

5) Get a cheap smart-phone. Plug it into a charger - even just the usb port on your rig. Leave it in an obvious place close to the rig. You do not need to hide it and you do not need to worry about the battery life. It is the first thing that the thief will take and it will have a fully charged battery. It will surely last long enough to track him.

Any one get familiar with the cell booster reviews (http://www.jammerall.com/categories/Cell-Phone-Signal-Booster/)? Tell me more details about this gadget, thanks, share some good sources.

Well you should think along the lines of: how would I secure just about anything from theft?

This is a great idea, you wouldn't have to worry about it.

From the point of view of cryptography, bitcoin in theory and practice proven strong. Cryptographic implementations on distributed systems successfully on bitcoin system. there is one critical security issues experienced by bitcoin the problem lies in the implementation / coding that value overflow problem. Other cases such as theft bitcoin many users caused by negligence or online wallet that was attacked by crackers.
One reason is likely to be slow adaptation bitcoin bitcoin how unusual and is not regulated by any financial institution. Lay people can make mistakes such as accidentally publishing its private key, and so on. so that new users can be free to use bitcoin technology. Therefore, the existence of a non-profit organization that promotes the use of bitcoin will greatly assist adaptation bitcoin by new users and large businesses. :(

Go to your local town municipal building and then your county municipal building get both a city/town business license, and a county business license, probably a home based business license will be fine, contact an insurance company, and get insurance against theft and damage, such as fire and water damage, every time you add a piece of hardware send the serial number in and the value of it to your insurance company, if it ever gets stolen or damaged in a fire or anything like that the equipment will be replaced at current market value plus interruption of business charges as well.

2 is good enough ;)


https://i.imgur.com/nBR3nA6.jpg

Does that mean  I should mine with my phone? ;)

Soon...  ;)

If you buy your machine from a 3rd party (as opposed to directly from the manufacturer) you should meet in a neutral location so the seller does not know where you live. Other important specs of the transaction are that you should not pay via check (it has your address), only in cash or bitcoin.

It would not be uncommon for people to have a few thousand dollars worth of "stuff" in your house, things like your TV, computer, iPad, furniture easily add up to having ~$5,000 of value or potentially more. If the current market value of your miners is that much or less then you should be safe keeping them at your house as long as you keep your door locked.

If the market value of your mining machines comes close to the $5,000 mark or slightly exceeds it then you could keep them in your basement (assuming there is not direct access to your basement from the outside). This could however present cooling issues.

Another option would be to have your machines housed in a data center.

My thought.....  perhaps you should be finding an insurance policy that will pay "replacement cost" for a new unit plus coverage for business income losses (due to miner not being in operation),  not  the nebulous "market value".

If you go the insurance route;  there is a problem that the market value of the unit may very well drop to $0  after the loss occured, but before the months it takes for insurance claim process to finish  and pay you out.
Plus you will have lost all that mining revenue.


My first thought....  how to prevent theft......
(1) Get a big   19" cabinet,  that has a door with a high-security lock.

(2)  Mount the miners in the cabinet.

(3)  Rig an inexpensive alarm panel with a siren  20db or higher;  some magnetic reed  switches in the cabinet;   run some wires out of the cabinet,  for perhaps an extra motion sensor in the room.

(4) Get some extra heavy-duty chains, and run them around the cabinet;   secure with a padlock.
If necessary;  drill some holes in the cabinet to mount loops for the chains to go through,  or weld them to the cabinet.

(5) Highly visible cameras  mounted in high places outdoors

(6) Consider defensive/deterrent systems which emit a Pepper Spray Aerosol when triggered, e.g.   https://burglarbomb.com/AB-2000.aspx
http://burglarblaster.com/