Educause Security Discussion mailing list archives
Re: Laptop
From: Sherry Callahan <scallahan () KUMC EDU>
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:18:50 -0500
It starts with the IP address that the laptop checks in with. Absolute then (with your written approval) can also active a 'remote view' function where they view the remote desktop, activate an o-board camera, etc. That usually gives some clue about the identity of the thief or person who currently has it. Absolute then works closely with law enforcement both locally and in the location where the laptop is to recover it. Obviously, its up to law enforcement to get the appropriate warrants and do the leg work. Sherry Callahan Director, Information Security The University of Kansas Medical Center 3901 Rainbow Blvd, MS 3024 Kansas City, Kansas 66160 913-588-0966
Kevin Shalla <kshalla () UIC EDU> 6/12/2008 1:12 PM >>>
Computrace sounds like a very interesting product. I'm curious about how you get the machine back. I can understand how Computrace would be able to locate to some degree where a machine is (just based on the IP address), but does it have a GPS or something else to actually get a physical location? Does the police then seize the computer (and hopefully the criminal also)? At 12:20 PM 6/12/2008, Sherry Callahan wrote:
Safeboot (now called McAfee Endpoint Encryption) is also working on Mac encryption, with an availability timeframe of 1Q09. We've been rolling out Safeboot to staff and faculty laptops that were reported as being used to store or access sensitive information since early 2007. Very recently, we announced that we are going to expand the program to include all University-owned laptops (personal laptops are prohibited from use with sensitive info by policy.) The only exception to the personal device rule is that we will be encrypting the student-owned tablets that they are required to purchase, as they will be using those during clinic rotations. When all is said and done in September, we'll have 1300+ encrypted
laptops.
We also install Computrace on every laptop and have been very successful in working with them to recover stolen laptops. As one previous poster mentioned, we've also worked with Absolute to recover another University's laptop that showed up on our network. One thing to know is that having CompuTrace in the BIOS is what makes it persistent and able to survive a hard drive reformat, repartition, or drive replacement. Only newer laptops and those listed by certain vendors are able to have it BIOS-resident. That doesn't mean that you can't install it - just be aware that if the thief formats the drive and reinstalls Windows, CompuTrace won't be on there any more. Also, we ran into a problem with the interaction of Safeboot and CompuTrace on the same machine, particularly on Vista, because they are both playing in the master boot record. The installation order is key - you need to install CompuTrace first, make sure it goes active in the BIOS, and then encrypt the laptop. If anyone is interested, our mobile device security page is at www2.kumc.edu/security/mobilesecurity and I'd be happy to answer any
questions.
Current thread:
- Re: Laptop, (continued)
- Re: Laptop Harold Winshel (Jun 11)
- Re: Laptop Mike Waller (Jun 11)
- Re: Laptop Allison Dolan (Jun 12)
- Re: Laptop Steven M Werby/FS/VCU (Jun 12)
- Re: Laptop Harold Winshel (Jun 12)
- Re: Laptop Basgen, Brian (Jun 12)
- Re: Laptop Spransy, Derek (Jun 12)
- Re: Laptop Sherry Callahan (Jun 12)
- Re: Laptop Sherry Callahan (Jun 12)
- Re: Laptop Kevin Shalla (Jun 12)
- Re: Laptop Sherry Callahan (Jun 12)
- Re: Laptop Nipper, Johnny R. (Jun 12)
- Re: Laptop KOVICH Greg (Jun 13)
- Re: Laptop Peters, Kevin (Jun 13)
- Re: Laptop Hugh Burley (Jun 13)