Intel and Ericsson Now Offering SMS based Laptop Security
By Alexis • Dec 15th, 2008 • Category: LaptopsLike other major IT companies, Intel and Ericsson have also decided to take a step towards securing the data on a stolen or missing laptop. The two IT giants have joined hands to implement the SMS based data theft protection. Ericsson will now be integrating Intel’s Anti-Theft PC Protection technology into its mobile broadband modules, which will enable the IT department to lock a missing or stolen laptop remotely just by sending a text-message to the laptop. A few days back Lenovo and Phoenix Technologies have also implemented a similar type of SMS based data protection.
When the laptop owner or the IT department sends the text message to a notebook or laptop it will be received via mobile broadband module and will be transferred to Intel’s Anti-Theft PC Protection Technology. While hard drives or USB sticks, like the Verbatim 47338 Business Secure device, have long had extensive security counter measures, the same cannot necessarily be said for laptops. Fortunately this new technology plans to change that. After sending the text message, the technology will automatically send a ‘Poison Pill’ to disable the PC and once the laptop again gets into the hands of the authorized person the IT department can enable it using a special password. However, this whole security plan has certain limitations. If the laptop’s OS is disabled or if it’s been shut down then it is necessary that the machine is connected to an AC power outlet to use Intel’s technology. If the laptop is running on the battery then it must be ‘Awake’ and connected to a LAN/WAN so that the ‘Poison Pill’ can be delivered.
To overcome these limitations the IT department can set some security policy which will initiate the Intel technology if there are repeated log-on failures or if the laptop has been taken off from the corporate networks or central servers for a prolonged period.
Tags for this article: laptop, intel, ericsson
