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Is it truth that datacenters can read my passwords over KVN over IP interface when I ask them to connect it and I'am forced to enter ssh pass/encryption pass (OS install,etc) ? I colocated the server on datacenter in order to be sure sysadmins cannot access my passwords/data like they can do with VPS and I need no know I'am on the safe side :)

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    There's a point where paranoia is unhealthy. Why would you agree to colo at a place where you think the staff/company would even want to do such a thing? As Tim says, they have full phy access. Your question is strangely worded though...
    – TheCleaner
    Oct 18, 2013 at 18:01
  • Sorry, my VPS was fully cloned on previous provider, I have found some content that I only had on my VPS on a site hosting had. Since then I rather be informed before any stupid thing. Many people talk about that over the net.
    – Blazer
    Oct 18, 2013 at 18:21

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One of the rules of the 10 immutable laws of security states If a bad guy has unrestricted physical access to your computer, it's not your computer anymore.

Since the staff at a colocation center has unlimited physical access you pretty much have to concede that they can do very bad things if so desired.

The only answer here isn't a technological one but a legal one - that is what the colocation contracts are for.

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The DC can read everything you transmit to them that is not encrypted and controlled by yourself. As an example, it's really simple to use a USB or PS2 keylogger with standard external KVMs, as the KVM module acts as a keyboard.

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  • So even if I seal the server they can read my passwords using usb or other ports ? That's what I'am interested of, I encrypted full disk , when reboot it asks for key. I thought all this things are doing some good in terms of protection. Its not more complicated, I mean compare with OpenVZ VPS or KVN VPS ?
    – Blazer
    Oct 18, 2013 at 18:03
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    @Blazer that's all well and good when the machine is cold (fully powered off). When you reboot you need to enter that key (which means either you physically drive to the datacenter every time, or you use a KVM. If you use a KVM the password is traveling through hardware you likely don't control - Security Gone. If your required level of paranoia means that is not acceptable to you, colocation may not be an option (you need your own datacenter)...
    – voretaq7
    Oct 18, 2013 at 18:28

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