It was only a matter of time before a location tracking app found its way into laptop security software. Laptop Cop, which lets you remotely control your computer and delete files if it is stolen, now has a geo-location feature based on WiFi-hotspot triangulation technology from Skyhook Wireless. It is the same technology that is used in the iPhone (along with GPS and cell-tower triangulation) to determine your location for geo-aware apps. Now you can tell the cops exactly what door to knock on, more or less.
Laptop Cop costs $50. It does come with those other features as well. But if you want the same Lojack service for your laptop without paying, you can download MyLoki for free. It is a browser add-on from Skyhook that broadcasts the location of your laptop. And anyone can always check your personal MyLoki page to see where your is laptop (which is supposed to be a proxy for you, but not when it’s been stolen).
It won’t be too long before all of your devices will tell you where they are.
Update: There’s another laptop recovery service from GadgetTrak for Macs that also uses Skyhook. In addition to the WiFi positioning, it also uses the Mac’s built-in camera to to take a picture of the perp and sends it to your Flickr account. So busted.
this is one of those “What TOOK you so long?” things…..
So true, we would of never had those incidents with identy theft.
will the real laptopcop please stand up. who knew?
StolenLocator.com – stop stealing.
You could just use the real LoJack for your laptop.
I’ve had that service for well over a year. What took TechCrunch so long?
With IPv6 all electronic devices will have their own IPs.
ummmm…..UCLA and other business schools were using a similar technology 6 years ago….
Can this be embedded in my car keys?
Car keys, I could implant one in each of my children.
true, I have one in my dog
Laptop recovery is a myth, no metropolitan police department is gonna waste their time recovering your laptop, even if you know *exactly* where it is. Better to encrypt your hard drive. Or use remote kill type software.
Sadly, we’re finding this to be true. We’re tracking a freind-of-a-friend’s stolen laptop right now … this owner had that LogMeIn.com service installed, so we know the IP address it’s coming from, and by watching various activities that the thief has been doing, we’ve been able to positively identify who is using it, their street address, employer, etc.
But the local PoPo doesn’t seem to care enough to lift a finger. Keeping our fingers crossed that we can find *someone* to help out.
Failing that — it would be great to have suggestions from the group here on what mischeif we can keep doing to confound the theif’s use of stolen property. Would love to find a public “Upside-Down-Ternet” proxy or something … (http://ex-parro...own-ternet.html).
just recover it yourself…..or just hire some ninjas!
I would like to know if there is something I can install inside my 360 and ps3. You know, like they have in the movies with those tracking bugs. You just put the bug inside and use the monitor to track it. Anyways, I own a 9mm I carry on my side everyday so I would have no problem going to get my stolen equipment back myself. Just wait until you see the people leave their home and “negotiate” That is sad that those F***ing pigs wont stop stuffing donuts for one minute.
I need one of these for my dog.
I need one of these for my wife.
I’ve tried to give my wife away, no one will take her sigh
i have had the real lojack for my laptop for a few years now. why would anyone need this when they can get real lojack.
The police may not want to wast there time recovering just 1 laptop.. This device would be great! if all your stuff was stolen along with the laptop…. cool man
I love TechCrunch, and so I found this product/blog interesting. Sounds really cool, although I had a very interesting question, you can see below:
“Deo: Welcome! So that I may better assist you, would you please tell me what you’d like to accomplish using our software?
Deo: We have not heard from you. Do you wish to continue the chat?
you: sorry yes
you: If a thief steals the laptop, this system relies on the laptop being powered up correct?
you: If my laptop is on an Active Directory Domain, therefore requiring someone to login, how will the thief be enticed long enough for your system to report location?
Deo: Thank you for waiting. I’ll be with you in just a moment.
Deo: I’m still here… I’ll be with you shortly.
Deo: I’m sorry for the delay. I’ll be right with you.
Deo: I’m sorry for the disconnect. my computer froze and had to reboot
Deo: going back to your question, once it finds an internet connection at all, it will automatically check-in with our servers
you: does it run as a service, i.e. a person does not even need to login to windows for it to work?
Deo: Thank you for waiting. I’ll be with you in just a moment.
Deo: Our software does run as a hidden service. However, the person would still need to log in for our software to begin recording any activities.
you: so how can they login if they dont have the password?
Deo: I’m sorry for the delay. I’ll be right with you.
Deo: I’m still here… I’ll be with you shortly.
Deo: I’m still here… I’ll be with you shortly.
Deo: Thank you for waiting. I’ll be with you in just a moment.
Deo: That’s a very interesting question. in that case, the thief will most likely create a new user account by going to safe mode and log in from there
Thank you for visiting and take care! ”
If I am not mistaken, it would not startup under safe mode either, and you just can’t create user accounts like they suggested. So unless your laptop is completely insecurely setup (perhaps a lot of laptops are), then this app may not work.
Going to play with Loki
That’s nothing; there’s software out there now (CompuTrace) that installs into the BIOS and will reinstall itself even if the thief formats and reinstalls. Then it calls the cops and they go recover it for you.
if it’s not in the bios its stupid. thieves can just reformat.
Actually setting BIOS/firmware password helps to protect from this. If you are a thief with enough technical sense to wipe the drive, you know to flash the BIOS. Lowjack is easily hacked, just Google it. So if Jack Bauer steals your laptop you are screwed with our without software like this.
Most thieves will also not want to go through the trouble of trying to find the drivers online, buy a copy of the operating system to reinstall etc. Usually they are going to sell it to get their quick payday. That these sites are boasting 95% recovery rates is impressive, I would like to hear about more actual recoveries.
Laptops are going to crazy.
http://www.iamlittle.net
This software will be very helpful ,if it do what it says,lot of people using laptops now a days ,they want their data to be safe ,and laptop be safe from stolen person.If software helps to recover lost laptop 50$ is not that big amount all will be ready to pay for that software.
Orbicule (http://orbicule.com/) is also available for Macs.
Wish I knew about MyLoki before plunking down $90 for LoJack last week.
Excellent idea. They should develop this software to go on ipods touch, iphones, and all mobile internet capable devices.
I was looking for laptop security software and ran across Laptop Cop.
After research I decided to ask them an important question.
Basically, I found a critical flaw in their software that is not called out to the customers on their website:
(live chat transcript)
Vince: Hello there!
you: hi
you: if someone steals my laptop and wipes the hard drive with a fresh operating system install how can laptop cop help? is the software and security gone at this point?
Vince: All we could wish is that the theft would never wipe out the laptop so the program would remain on the background
you: ok, thank you for answering my question.
A good solution would have installed a BIOS password preventing the computer from even booting.
FAIL.
(Bonus FAIL for grammar by “Vince”)
watch jacked on A and e and imagine those guys chasing after laptops lol
Wow this sort of thing has been out for awhile TechCrunch…great example that does everything they mentioned plus alot more is Absolute:
http://www.absolute.com/
I use “Undercover” from Orbicule. You only pay for it once and it’s useful forever afterward. Check out their web page. They do some really nice things such as using the built-in camera on a Mac to take video of the person using the system and also doing key-logging. It’s quite cool!
OK, here’s why you pay for the loJack, they contact the police and do the leg work. Not you. The Police don’t care about your laptop, does that suprise anyone? Had one stolen and returned because of LoJa. Sure anything can be hacked but as someone said, most are just a quick $$ turn around. Will recommend this to my PI friends so it does have a use.