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The Intel Centrino 2 powered laptops and notebook PCs with the Intel vPro technology, have the Intel Anti-Theft Technology, that protect the contents of the mobile computer, if lost or stolen. Certain suspicious activities enable the trigger of this security utility. Once triggered, it de-activates the laptop, rendering it completely useless to the unauthorised user. The best part of this security mechanism is that it will work even if the laptop is not connected to the network or the operating system is re-imaged, or the hard drive is changed. The activities that trigger the intelligent feature can be set in advance in the IT settings of the mobile PC.
How does the Security Feature trigger?
There is a central server, that manages these security activities. It has a list of all laptops and notebook PCs that have been registered for the anti-theft service. All these portable PCs, send packets of data on a regular basis, usually once a day, to this central server. This happens during normal circumstances without the knowledge of the user. However, if the laptop is stolen, the owner of the laptop can log into the central server and flag the device as stolen. When this particular laptop connects to the internet the next time, and sends its daily packets to the central server, a signal is sent back to it to start the disabling activity.
The AT feature triggers automatically within the stolen device, even if it fails to send the daily packets to the central server within a stipulated period of time. There is a timer employed for this. Too many login attempts can start the anti-theft utility as well.
How does the de-activation work?
When the security feature is activated, it can delete all sensitive data, such as encrypted information, credentials and other important official material, completely from the system. The PC can be disabled too, preventing it from booting up itself. The latter method offers protection without having to lose important data.
Recovery and Re-activation
Some of these AT enabled netbooks and notebooks, start sending continuous packets of data to the central server, once the security feature has been triggered. This enables tracing the exact location of the portable computer. Once found, it can be re-activated either via a previously set re-activation phrase or a token.
If the culprit reformats the laptop, the security feature automatically re-installs itself too. This happens because, the code of this feature has been included in the BIOS of the system. The BIOS is the Basic Input/Output System, which checks to see if the machine has all essential components to start up.
Initially Lenovo laptops featured the Intel Anti-Theft function. The newer netbooks and notebooks are also adopting the intelligent security utility these days. The recent Asus P30A Notebook incorporates this feature.
The Intel ATT makes the laptops and netbooks totally useless to anyone else, but the owners. The unauthorised users might not even want to keep the laptop with them, once they discover that they are unable to start it at all. If the stealer is smart enough, he would know that the device might even be tracked soon, and would discard it as well. Laptop thieves are surely going to run out of business now! Hmmm…This sounds really great! Wish that the security feature could do one more thing – launch a slap across the face of the thief too!
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