Shearwater Teric why no password system?

[Blackcrusader]

Even if this did happen how would you even enter your password/unlock it?? not like Shearwater is going to put FaceID, thumbprint reader, or a keyboard on a dive computer. Lets be realistic and think about what a diver computer is meant for.

I understand someone wanting to have a password but for myself it is not an issue. If your Perdix or Teric is stolen then the thief won't be worried about a password. They probably won't know if it had one or not. I was diving last year with a nice DM in Taiwan. She had a Perdix but didn't know about how to change the setup. So I showed here how to get TTS and Surf GF and explained what they meant. She would leave her Perdix lying around as the dive shop had security cameras. I picked it up and hid it. She says you have my Perdix and I said no this one is mine it stays on my wrist when I am in a dive shop. I gave hers back and we had a laugh but she got the point. Leaving it lying around would be too tempting. She thought the divers in Taiwan would not know what the Perdix is as they are mostly OW and OAW divers she takes out.

 

[Wibble]

Configuring the 'welcome screen' should maybe be done on their application; which effectively registers it with Shearwater. Thus when someone steals / transfers ownership, the re-registration process may contact the original person?

Shearwaters are slightly different to generic smartphones in that the device has some of the value; adding the cloud application makes it a great package. Thus it's possible to have a central database and "watchlist" for "missing" computers.

...If Shearwater was to do that?

 

[mcohen1021]

In the Teric you get a screen flashing up in Dive Mode with your Name and two telephone numbers.
I love this feature but I am wondering what is the point?

What if you and your wife have the same exact computer? Or someone else on your boat?

 

[scrane]

As far as I can see this is an issue between Shearwater and the OP. There is no point in his arguing with people who don't share his opinion.

 

[Robbyg]

Even if this did happen how would you even enter your password/unlock it?? not like Shearwater is going to put FaceID, thumbprint reader, or a keyboard on a dive computer.

Lets be realistic and think about what a diver computer is meant for.

Its just another input line after the Name and Telephone number. You enter it using the same keyboard sub routine that is used to enter your Name and Number.

 

[Robbyg]

I still don't think its that much of a deterrant. Sure some avenues for selling are gone, but still easy to sell stolen goods.

Honestly, when I'm on a boat, I'm only focused on my own kit and my buddies. If you ask to see my screen, I will reply in a not very polite fashion as you are distracting me from my preparation. Ask me when I'm finished to see my screen, I still won't be polite. I don't see a thief getting all that nervous really. In this corner of the country, Shearwaters are EXTREMELY popular, but when I travel, not many people have two on their arm, I give you that.

I don't think human nature has changed much in the past 3 decades, but I'm only 50. I do realize that the velocity of information exchange is far greater than in the past, and that does effect people's perception

So since you are a hardware designer, question for you. Where will you store the password? Or I should say, the hash of it? How robust is the hashing algorithm? It has been a while since I worked on Bitlocker (oh God, 14 years?!??!), so I haven't kept up to date on software security, but that was when SHA1 was abandoned due to weaknesses, and they switched to SHA256. What level of effort do you expect from Shearwater to ensure that what they implement isn't easily hacked? All of this isn't free, and is not likely in demand from enough of their customer base to warrant this investment. Just to be clear I am NOT a software security expert.

So now that I think about the possible security implications, I'm thinking there is even less reason. I could ping a couple of security architects, like Paul England or David Wooten and ask them on FB. Maybe I'm wrong at it is easy with few resources and can easily be secure. I'll wait as I should be augmenting the firmware for another dive computer on the market, so I know more of what I'm talking about. I've worked on a few STM32 projects, bare metal and RTOS. Not sure what hardware Shearwaters have inside.

You don't need a bunch of security, the password either matches or it doesn't.
This is not like an iPhone where you have teams of guys dedicated to breaking into the device for the $$$. I would doubt that anyone would ever spend the time to try and crack into a Terics operating system, there is just no market for hacking dive computers.

 

[Robbyg]

I understand someone wanting to have a password but for myself it is not an issue. If your Perdix or Teric is stolen then the thief won't be worried about a password. They probably won't know if it had one or not. I was diving last year with a nice DM in Taiwan. She had a Perdix but didn't know about how to change the setup. So I showed here how to get TTS and Surf GF and explained what they meant. She would leave her Perdix lying around as the dive shop had security cameras. I picked it up and hid it. She says you have my Perdix and I said no this one is mine it stays on my wrist when I am in a dive shop. I gave hers back and we had a laugh but she got the point. Leaving it lying around would be too tempting. She thought the divers in Taiwan would not know what the Perdix is as they are mostly OW and OAW divers she takes out.

LOL she was naive! One mans Toyota is another mans Porsche.
Worst thing you can do is underestimate the knowledge of people in a foreign country.
Many of the things western people take for granted is the equivalent to six months of wages for people in poorer countries. In Taiwan a Perdix is equal to an average persons monthly income. Probably a lot more for an assistant in a dive shop.

Years after I was a victim of a robbery on a dive boat by one of the staff, I was on another boat with my iPhone playing a card game as the time passed.
I soon noticed a crew member looking at me and then later looking at me again as we neared the dive site and I was putting my phone into my bag. A minute later I took it back out and asked the Captain to hold onto it for me, I just did not want a repeat of the previous incident.

 

[Addison Snyder]

Any feature like this is likely to be abused by the manufacturer to add planned obsolescence to their product. Look at Apple and ask yourself if you really want to hand over control of your device like that..

 

[hsinhai]

I get the impression most are not really understanding the suggested feature. It sounds nothing like locking the device or the potential of that..

Rather, have a user created PIN code.. this pin code needs to be entered to change the user info which is shown on screen.. no locking of the computer no nothing.. stop strangers from changing user data.

I feel it would be easy to implement and adds a feeling of security to some.. how secure.. well.. still the best advice don't loose it..

 

[Blackcrusader]

What if you and your wife have the same exact computer? Or someone else on your boat?

My wife has a different name and telephone number than I do. I dive with friends who wear Teric's and have no issues on the boat.
Many people dive with the same DC's on boats as well. My Perdix has my name on it with two small stickers