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Another Stab at Laptop Security

Posted by timothy on from the wonder-if-it's-linux-friendly dept.

kogus writes "LoJack is licensing its brand name to Absolute Software, which provides Computrace -- soon to be known as the 'LoJack for Laptops' line of computer theft recovery systems. When a stolen Computrace-equipped system is connected to the Internet, it automatically and silently sends locating data to Absolute Software, which then calls out the law. In some cases, Absolute Software customers are eligible for a $1,000 guarantee payment when a stolen system is not recovered within 60 days.

1 of 316 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Not secure at all. by joto · · Score: 5, Insightful
    2. If your laptop is stolen, by the time it manages to report it to the police, it will be too late.

    Too late for what? For recovery? No. For prosecution of the thief? Probably. For prosecution of the moron who bought it and knew it was stolen? No.

    It's unlikely anyone but the last buyer will even attempt to connect it to the Internet. So whether the police uses 12 weeks or 4 months to get to him doesn't matter much, they will still find the laptop, and someone to put in jail.

    On the other hand, the mechanism only works on idiots. If I were to buy a stolen laptop (not that I'm into that kind of thing anyway), I would of course wipe it clean, just as I do with any other new or used computer that gets into my hands...