Ulink-2

Why don't you want to use your USB port?

Programmers can copy the source code in USB thumb drives!

Why don't you want to use your USB port?

Programmers can copy the source code in USB thumb drives!

Not if it's got a uLink plugged into it, they can't!

That can also be done via the parallel port, serial port, etc...

That can also be done via the parallel port, serial port, etc...

the USB storage devices are available very cheap. and easy to hide.

Hope you recall the last issue of Microsoft OS source code available on Internet.

Presently I removed the USB devices setting from BIOS and block the socket.

"Installing Locks on the doors preventing from the gentlemens, thiefs can crack any locks".

"the USB storage devices are available very cheap. and easy to hide."

But then the same has always been true of floppy disks!

I beleive there are tools available to secure against such data theft?

Anyhow, back to your original question, "can i connect ulink-2 by parallel port or serial port" - the answer is, clearly, "No!"

So that leaves you with the quandary: which is the bigger risk - your developers stealing your source code, or your developers being under-productive due to inadequate tools.

Your culture may well be different, but it would certainly demotivate developers over here to be treated as untrustworthy thieves...

"Installing Locks on the doors preventing from the gentlemens, thiefs can crack any locks"

In other words, locks merely inconvenience the honest, everyday user without really detering the thief.

Sad, but true.

:-(

So, what is your point here?

It says to me that all this locking of USB ports is not really going to prevent data theft, but it is certainly going to hamper your development!

Only you can work out the risk/benefit tradeoff in your particular environment...

You can, of course, use uLink for debugging & flash programming without access to the source code.

Again, only you can evaluate the tradeoff in loss of productivity without source-level debugging, and possible motivation issues, against the risk of source code theft...

thanks for your comments.

I found the solution on microsoft to disable only external usb drives. :)

If source code is available, a cheap digital camera and some OCR software will allow a thief to get the source.

Just flashing part of the screen can be used with photo diodes to emit the data (some pulse watches uses this method for programming).

Any developer with a bit of skill - and access to a serial port - will be able to stream out the source through the serial port, and fill up a Palm or similar.

A printer port is obviously also a good source to push out the code.

The speaker connector on the PC can be used (also a method used by some pulse watches).

Guess what you can do with the keyboard or mouse interfaces?

What bandwidth can you get from the caps-lock LED on the keyboard? Any other LED that may be controlled on the machine?

If a developer have access to a machine and read rights to the source code, you can be pretty sure that the code is possible to steal without the need of manually write down the text. So, your only option is to trust your developers and give them access to the code, and to make sure that no other people get access to the code. A factory doesn't need source code for producing units. Neither do management, service, support etc.

Just realize that there is nothing magical about the USB interface.

demotivate developers over here to be treated as untrustworthy thieves...

In UK, USA an contract will work. but in India, all are working for counting the days, and passing time;
that is why, you will not find any software products from India for general public.

not writing comments on source, not transferring the knowledge to freshers is a general practice of all programmers, leaving the jobs in without intimation.