Laptop (physical) security

I run Undercover from Orbicule on my Macbook Pro. Basically it phones in to a central server every so often. If it's flagged as stolen, it starts logging and even takes a picture of the thief with the iSight! I want to start doing something similar with my Toughbooks since they're with me more on the road than the MBP.

I've read lots about Computrace/LoJack
http://www.lojackforlaptops.com/

But at $40/year for a subscription, are there any alternatives? I bought Undercover for $59 and its for life!

There's Locate My Laptop ( http://www.locatemylaptop.com) but I can't find any real solid leads that this is reliable service.

Anyone?

 

I would use a free software like "Free_Internetcam" or "BroadCam" , which I also use, to show others via "Hamachi"-network, where I'm driving trough New Zealand.
Start the cam-software as service under the system-account if the machine starts and upload the pics to ur webspace or watch it live. And so on...

 

I use computrace for my CF-19 since it is in the field all the time with me and can be stolen. The reason computrace is good is because if you have a f-19 or cf-30 (other models too) it is embedded in the bios so even if the hard drive is wiped or completely changed out the bios silently rebuilds the software on the new drive and then keeps contacting the main server with the laptops location.

I use computrace lojack and it works great it is cheaper as it does not have as many features as the full computrace but plenty enough for me.

You can get the comptrace lojack on ebay for real cheap I picked up a 3yr subscription for $15 bucks it was worth the piece of mind knowing if it is stolen the computrace cannot be removed ever and it will contact the main server whenever it connects to the internet.

It will contact the main server every 24hrs when in normal state then when it is reported stolen it will attempt to contact the station every 15 minutes. Once the location is found it is transfered to the local authority and then a warrant is had and they go find the laptop.

Once computrace is enabled in the bios it can never be turned off again which is very nice. That way even if they do wipe the HDD or just pull it and put in a new one it will STILL contact the main server with its location.

There is a screen shot of the website once you are registered. It has a few features etc. I removed the secret info (of course)




-James

 

One problem with any of this is it assumes there is some sort of network device connected or available for a connection 24/7, and most people probably don't have that sort of connectivity and few non-consumer systems would have the option of built-in wireless broadband.

I know that with my toughbooks, I use a seperate external USB 3G modem and without that, the computer would have no way to communicate to any sort of external service. Also most toughbooks don't have built-in cameras, but perhaps some of the newer semi-rugged ones do.

That aside, having the machine wake up enough to talk to an external service either at regular intervals or semi-random ones (which would be better from a security standpoint) sounds like an interesting idea and I'm sure it already exists in use with other types of technology devices.

Craig.

 

Zippy is correct... A software standalone would be pretty much useless... Put yourself in the thief's position... What do you do... Most likely wipe the drive, erasing any software that would be installed. It would need to be BIOS enabled.

If THAT is what you are talking about... I think what Panasonic offers works hand in hand with the more expensive, but more reliable, recovery options...

You could always use a steel cable with a combo lock. It keeps the opportunities to just pick it up and go down to a minimum... If they have to stand there and fool with the cable (unless the laptop is stored in a room by itself with no one else around) they most likely will just move on.

Here's an idea.... I would build a small little square with micro LEDs blinking and industrial double faced adhesive and a WARNING-LAPTOP TRACKED BY SATELLITE sticker on the side...

(Hmmm... I'll have to look into that!)

 

Havnt tried this in the toughbooks yet but if you get one of these gps trackers
http://laipac.com/personal_locator_gps.htm gut it and mount it into a laptop it becomes a VERY handy emercency locator NEMA gps interface and emergency cell phone for rescue personel ... built 4 of them in now and its kind of quick and dirty but works

 

Or...

CONTAINS EXPLOSIVES COMBINATION REQUIRED FOR OPERATION

Just dont check it in at the airport

 

Well the computrace will not wake the laptop. The thief does not even know it is there.

Computrace is the only software that is reliable as most thief's or just people will pull the HDD and since computrace is in the bios it cannot be removed for the entire life of the laptop no matter what unless the motherboard is changed.

Last time i wiped my hard drive i forgot about the computrace and never used the cd to install it again but the bios silently rebuilt the software after my install and it is still contacting the main server. So i am very confident that even of my hard drive is pulled or wiped they cannot get rid of the computrace.

Sunrk brings up a good point most laptops do not have a mobile broadband option but this works even without that.

Any time it is connected to the internet via 56k wifi or just lan it will contact the server.

Now almost everyone will connect the laptop to the internet at one time or another to download something especially if they wiped the HDD. Now they need to get all the programs they like etc.

Once it is connected it will contact the main server every 15mins and report its location. Once computrace gets a hit they will trace it then forward the report to the local authorities to get a warrant and recover the laptop.

If you do not have a sticker or warning that the computrace is installed the thief will never know and think he got away with a nice toughbook but as soon as he uses the internet somewhere he is screwed.

There really is no other way to make thief's avoid stealing your things. If they really want it they will get it no matter what a sticker says and if a cable is used.

But if you have computrace silently installed they think all is good and they got away scott free but little do they know they will be caught soon enough.

I would say use the cable to prevent it from being stolen in the first place but your only read defense against if it is really stolen is computrace as it is the only thing that is supported by Panasonic BIOS.

-James

 

Thank you Zippy! I think I'm going to get Lojack.

Yes, I realize that without network connectivity it doesn't work, but what piece of software nowadays doesn't require the Internet. Heck, Windows needs it every week for patches! So eventually, the thief would have it on the 'net.

It becomes a theft deterrent, not prevention. If a thief wants it, they'll get it one way or another. As a photojournalist, I've had friends who have had their trucks broken into, the thief left everything including GPS, etc. but only stole the camera. The GPS thieves are opportunistic to get some quick cash. The specific thief is probably part of organized crime and those are the hardcore ones.

 

Hmmm, wonder if a really good security app. would inform the thief that the LoJack or Computrace was trying to access the net. Kaspersky IS will not let my computers send ANY info out on the net without my permission.
CAP

 

Hopefully if it's a hardware level (BIOS) sending, then it wouldn't since it's not the OS doing it...

Undercover on my Mac is detected and is now permanently allowed to access through a single port and single server without asking everytime. But for my Guest account, I'm letting everything through so a thief can freely use the net.

 

You are very right on the programs needing the net to work so one time or another it will be connected to the net. I don't know of any computers around me or my friends that never have seen the net at one time or another.

I am not sure about it being blocked but i do know that i have AVG firewall that asks to allow every program i use and it does not ask for computrace to be allowed and never has.

Lojack is the cheapest of there software. If you go with the more expensive business ones it can wipe the HDD as soon as it connects to the net an send its location. That is nice if you have sensitive information on the computer.

I on the other had use a high bit encryption for any personal sensitive information since this computer is subjected to the outside world.

-James

 

I'm probably going with Lojack Computrace Standard on the CF-30 with TrueCrypt for my personal documents. It's not tin-foil hatness, now it's identity theft and the protection of my friends and contacts that are in my Outlook.