So does laptop LoJack work?

We wrote before on Absolute Software's CompuTrace LoJack system for laptops, but Forbes decided to put it to the test (well kind of). They gave it a thorough going over, and while we're not sure we'd want to "sit back and wait for [the laptop] to be stolen," apparently as soon as your swiped lappie does get on the internet, Absolute will track down the perps (assuming the first thing the bandits do isn't wipe or replace your drive if your machine doesn't have an embedded LoJack recovery chip). Apparently a large chop-shop crime ring in Texas was even recently busted when someone brought back a LoJack equipped laptop, and the machine was even returned—but was it intact? Who loves ya baby?

[mark pena @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Funny that just came up, some dood walked into our dept and stole one of the Sr. Directors laptop on wednesday.

[xVariable @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

That Cojack image MUST be Photoshopped. I mean, it looks too clean and new not to be. =P

[tino @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

BUT DOES IT WORK IN NEW JERSEY?

[Ben @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

This lojack sounds like a rootkit to me. Our company uses a smartcard encryption system. All of the data on the laptop is encrypted. To decrypt it you need the key which is stored on your office ID card, which is what you use to get into and out of the office. Everyone has two card readers, a USB one and a PCMCIA/PC Card one. The PC Card one is the best because you can just shove your ID card into the PC Card slot which virtually no one uses anymore. It's not perfect because it doesn't protect the hardware, but the data is more important.

[Ian Jardine @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

OK funny story time, unconnected with cojack, but about "Kojak" himself, the actor.
Years ago I was staying at the Pierre Hotel midtown NYC, I think it was a weekend morning. I left the entrance and stood under a awning, as it was raining and waited for a cab. There was another person standing there also and we got into a friendly chat about the weather life etc. I realised it was "Kojak" the actor. He looked fit, tanned and at ease with no suggestion of ego and we swapped a few jokes.
Then up swept a big stretch black Limo. "This is my ride CU" said Kojack as he leapt fwd and opened the Limo door, b4 the driver could move. No, not the back door, the drivers door. In a swift move he pulled the protesting driver out and sat at the wheel, grinned at me and told the driver "Get in the back!". The driver turned to me also. Shrugged and said "This man is absolutely crazy, you never know what's coming next". With that he skipped into the rear of the Limo. Kojak waved at me, grinned again and drove off into the distance.

[PosiCat @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I was thinking of setting something like this up on my car computer.

Unless you dock a USB key, it will attempt to relay it's GPS coordinates via any open WIFI system it passes. Once it has it's own webcam, full 'grand theft cam'

[Patrick @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

"Years ago I was staying at the Pierre Hotel midtown NYC..."

http://imdb.com/name/nm0001699/

My ass. Telly Savalas died in 1994, so unless "years ago" translates into "over a decade ago" I think you're full of it or mistaken as to who it was.

-p-

[xVariable @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

Ian: Having mispelled the guy's name would explain why no images of him could be Googled.

Funny story BTW. :)

[pepe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

uh yeah
or you just set up a ip monitor on the laptop, and when it connects to the internet <- if it does... you get the new ip in email. free

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

@PosiCat I'm pretty sure "years ago" can extend to 11 years ago. That is unless you are 10.

I lived in NYC in 1989. That was years ago. I saw a celebrity and everything. So years ago is completely feasible.

[ric @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

crap, all of it. first and only question: can the company selling this snake oil force ISPs to give out information about their clients, or not? since this is normally the preserve of law enforcement, i'd presume not. scenario: "hi mr ISP. this is lojack. one of your customers is using a stolen laptop". cue ISP saying "i don't know who the fuck you are, but you're not getting confidential information about out customers"

[sarvinc @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

I'm confused, they installed the software then called the company to test it? So under ideal conditions we know Aboslute Software's lojack works, but does it really work after the hard drive is wiped, what about firewalls? It really seems like they tried to install the software on one or two computers then read the brochure.

[JB @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

saryinc,
Computrace is embedded into the firmware of the machine (at least on certain Lenovo Thinkpads), so a HD wipe should not affect it. Not sure about firewalls.

[pepe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

JB get some google then talk

computrace:
"Easy to install. Simply load this software onto your computer."

all these BS programs do is what i said.

set up a ip monitor on the laptop, and when it connects to the internet <- if it does

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 1:05AM]

My LoJack joke: There's switch on the back of a LoJack.

LoJack on. LoJack off.

Thank you very much.