Posts Tagged ‘LoJack for Laptops’

Absolute Software has just revealed three behind-the-scenes laptop theft experiences by customers of LoJack for Laptops, its consumer laptop theft protection solution.

The three success stories include:

1. The Yom Kippur Burglaries: Jeffrey’s Laptop Theft Story – A laptop, among other possessions, was discovered stolen after a weekend away. Jeffrey was a victim of a string of break-ins over the holidays. Jeffrey’s laptop was recovered and 4 arrests made!
2. I Bought It From ‘Some Guy’: Niyonu’s Laptop Theft Story – LoJack helped trace a stolen computer to a computer repair store. Not only was the laptop recovered, but investigators now have more information in their burglary investigation.
3. Dorm Room Rip-Off: Stefanie’s Laptop Theft Story – This story tells of a computer stolen from a dorm at Delaware State University and transported to New Jersey. Three arrests were made and the laptop recovered.

Here’s a quote from Jeffrey Alexander, the customer whose theft is featured in the first story:

“After thieves broke into my home and made off with my laptop, I really never expected to see it again, let alone catch the criminals who had it. I wasn’t aware at the time, but as soon as I reported the theft to my local police and Absolute’s Theft Recovery Team, an amazing investigation began. Not even four full days after I reported the theft, Absolute’s technology had led police to the home of an alleged thief where my laptop was recovered – along with four other laptops, a large quantity of drugs and cash. Not only did I get my laptop back, the investigation also resulted in four arrests! I can’t really imagine a better result.”

Learn, in each case, how the Absolute Theft Recovery team was able to work with investigators to recover the stolen laptops. In each story, the Recovery Team provides some commentary on the case and how Absolute Software can help you in similar situations.

You can read the rest of the details of these stories from the press release on Yahoo. Then head over to learn more about how LoJack for Laptops can work for you.

Also, if you’re going to be in San Francisco for MacWorld or Las Vegas for CES, come stop by the Absolute booths!!

Meet Absolute at MacWorld Expo

Location: Moscone Center, San Francisco
Booth: 325
Dates: Tuesday – Friday, January 6 – 9, 2009
Time: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Meet Absolute at CES

Location: Las Vegas Convention Center
Booth: 36808, South Hall
Dates: Thursday – Sunday, January

Ken Colburn (aka the Data Doctor) was on CNN a couple of weeks ago to give some simple advice on protecting your sensitive information if your computer is stolen. The most common mistakes people make that put data at risk on lost laptops, according to Ken, are: not set a password on the computer, auto-saving username and passwords, and leaving sensitive information unprotected by alternate passwords or encryption.

As you can see from the video below, Ken goes on to recommend software than can help make your computer more secure and/or recover it. He recommends LoJack for Laptops / Computrace, as well as other programs listed here.

Thanks Ken for the great coverage!

Also in the news: Microsoft will stop selling its Windows Live OneCare consumer security service and will re-release it as a free download by the end of 2009. They hope this will mean less malware. Speaking of malware, a new trojan came up a couple days ago that can send both Mac & PC users, even with patched software, to impostor websites. Ouch!

There are four quick videos on YouTube about Absolute Software’s consumer product line, LoJack for Laptops and corporate product line, Computrace. The videos each go through a common scenario about a missing laptop. This first one examines an all-too-common issue: leaving a laptop in the car.

Whether you’re just running a quick errand or are going to bed for the night, you should never leave your laptop in your car. This practice causes many major data breaches each year. If your corporate laptop does get stolen, you should never be afraid to report that. Letting your IT department know quickly can help recover your laptop, if Computrace was installed, and is important so that steps can be taken to prevent or recover from a data breach. (more…)

Although the business world has been primarily PC-oriented for a number of years, Absolute Software has not forgotten the many Mac users out there (like me!). Both Computrace, the corporate product line, and LoJack for Laptops, the consumer product line, are available for both Mac & PC.

A recent article on Dark Reading talks about the widespread use of Computrace for PCs, but the article implies that Computrace would not work on a Mac. The scenario Rob Enderle writes about on DR is about how to secure Barack Obama’s computer, if he chooses to use a Mac. After recommending Computrace for PCs, Enderle tries to come up with an alternative for the Mac, but ends up with something that “isn’t as comprehensive as Absolute.” Thankfully, we can simply recommend the Mac version of Computrace! Computrace works on Mac OSX 10.3, 10.4 and 10.5.

After the install of the Computrace product, the customer uses Absolute via a secure web-based Customer Center. PC and Mac users, therefore, have the same experience. The only exception being that the Mac does not support the recently released GPS tracking feature in Computrace.

Some computers, currently only PCs, come with Computrace at the BIOS level as well. Perhaps this is where the Dark Reading confusion came in. But regardless, if you want to protect and recover your computer – PC or Mac – then Absolute Software has a product just right for you!

Learn more about Computrace here and LoJack for Laptops here.

Although we’ve talked many times about the security issues around employees working remotely from home or while abroad, we haven’t specifically touched on the issues that the self-employed face when working at home.

We talk many times about the importance of keeping private or sensitive information on the corporate network, accessed remotely, but not stored on mobile devices. At home, this is more of a challenge because that data is in your home, on your home computers. One must consider physical data storage (bank information, tax returns, receipts, etc), as well as protecting the data you store on your desktop or laptop computers.

Basic data security tips:

1. Use strong passwords, and don’t write them down
2. Install an anti-virus solution & encryption solution
3. Keep your software up to date
4. Don’t click links or open files from untrusted sources (and be wary of trusted ones too)
5. Log out of your computer at night
6. Set up a firewall
7. Read our Ten Steps to Laptop Security list

Absolute Software’s Computrace LoJack for Laptops comes with 2 editions, Premium and Standard, allowing you to protect all the computers in your home office. The Premium edition comes with the advanced capabilities to not just help recover lost laptops, but to remotely delete sensitive data.

The FTC also has out a guide for businesses wanting to protect personal information. This guide is geared to businesses of all sizes, but is particularly useful for the small business owner. If you are in the business of dealing with a lot of sensitive information, consider that there may be more advanced solutions to storing data off-premises, via a secure business network solution and even physical data storage.

Other articles on the blog you may find interesting:

• Handheld Devices Big Security Threat
• Hotel Network Security
• NCIX Mobile Security Tips for Overseas Travel
• Federal CISOs Green Light Telework
• Trusting Contractors with Laptops
• Unofficial Teleworkers Put Federal Data at Risk