LapCop 2 - automatically detects when it's been stolen and ...

[MacBytes]

Category: 3rd Party Software
Link: LapCop 2 - automatically detects when it's been stolen and sends an "electronic beacon" to your e-mail address. $25 for individual license.

Posted on MacBytes.com

 

[iJon]

this is real awesome, i already emailed them some more questions. i think i will be buying this, 25 bucks isnt bad for security.

iJon

 

[synthetickittie]

hmm.. deffinitely thinking about this one since I'll be brining my my new 17inch powerbook to college within a month.

 

[G4scott]

Seems like a very useful program, especially since I'm going to be in college.

Now, this program relies on their servers to send you the e-mail, so what if they go out of business or something? I understand it's very unlikely, and that the program is only $25 and is basically an insurance policy, but still...

Overall, it seems like a nice program. I'm buying.

 

[question fear]

this got mentioned over on geek.com, and they pointed out that lapcop will only work if the robber doesnt immediately wipe the hdd....besides a firmware password, is there any other way around this flaw?
--carly

 

[Chealion]

How does it tell if the computer has been "stolen"? How do we know if you are just using the computer it will make itself report stolen or something along those lines. Does the laptop occasionally call into the server when connected to the internet, and if you label it stolen, it will get the information?

 

[G4scott]

From the how it works section:

How it works



LapCop continuously monitors your mac's network and printer settings.
When any of the monitored settings change, LapCop goes into alert mode.
As soon as your stolen mac is hooked up to the internet via modem, ethernet or airport, LapCop gathers all necessary information for the stealth e-mail. This includes the owner's name and address, the serial number of the stolen mac, its internal and external IP address and the IP address of the network router the stolen mac is connected to.
When all this information is available, LapCop sends it to our dedicated LapCop monitoring server. Our server then compiles the stealth e-mail and sends it to the e-mail address you have specified during setup. Because the stealth e-mail is sent by our server, and not by the stolen mac itself, it does not rely upon SMTP and the delivery is guaranteed.
You send us the stealth e-mail and we will analyze it using IP to geography tools such as this one to trace the network your stolen mac is connected to. We will contact the network administrator or ISP and based on the IP addresses from the stealth e-mail and the time the mail was sent, the user that was connected using your mac can be traced.
Once a message is received from a stolen computer, it generally takes only minutes to get enough information to either contact the ISP directly or provide law enforcement with the information necessary for them to contact the ISP.

In a nutshell, it basically sends an e-mail whenever the network or printer settings change, but those would be the first things that change if the was stolen. (assuming the HD wasn't wiped)

 

[Chealion]

Whenever Printer settings change?!? Everytime I would move my 'book from my inkjet at home and then to the University and a different set of printer settings it would go on alert

That could be really annoying...

 

[jbomber]

a friend of mine had his TiBook stolen out of his car. I think he'd have settled for a self-destruct mechanism instead.

introducing the new iBomb.

I know I'd pay $25 if it meant an opportunity for sweet revenge.

 

[DeusOmnis]

PPL arnt going to just immediately wipe the harddrive. If you stole someone's laptop, wouldnt you want to go through their stuff?

 

[iJon]

Originally posted by Chealion
Whenever Printer settings change?!? Everytime I would move my 'book from my inkjet at home and then to the University and a different set of printer settings it would go on alert

That could be really annoying...

hey, why dont you go read the page before you start dissing it. it specifically says that settings already in the computer will not put it in alert mode, only when settings other than those you have made are changed.

iJon

 

[alia]

If the computers are actually recoverable, this seems like a really great app, especially for you college students. I know more than a couple people that have had laptops stolen from their dorms or apartments while at college. It's pretty common.

Alia

 

[iJon]

Originally posted by alia
If the computers are actually recoverable, this seems like a really great app, especially for you college students. I know more than a couple people that have had laptops stolen from their dorms or apartments while at college. It's pretty common.

Alia

if i lived in a dorm this app wouldnt be the first thing i bought, it would be a kensington lock, nobody is going anywhere with your laptop if thats on it, and if they do kensington will pay for your stuff i believe.

iJon