Do you use tracking software for your laptop in case it gets stolen? If so, which one do you use?
I just signed up with Front Door Software.
I just signed up with Front Door Software.
- Oct 2, 2011
- 1,536
- Jan 14, 2015
- 1,761
Prey in the past as well. Now nothing has its hard to loose a 17.3 inch laptop.
When travelling, I use my Linux netbook, so even if I loose that, cost is extremely minimal (it was a 2nd hand netbook)
When travelling, I use my Linux netbook, so even if I loose that, cost is extremely minimal (it was a 2nd hand netbook)
- Sep 26, 2014
- 2,973
Windows Device Finder and Absolute LoJack.
- Aug 3, 2013
- 1,879
Formerly a Prey user too. Now this: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/11579/microsoft-account-find-lost-phone-device
No, I don't use any tracking software for my laptop because if the thief has a brain then they will be able to get into my house and steal it without being caught in the act (or afterwards by forensics) and they will also know how to circumvent any locks put in place on the device such as Anti-Theft. (e.g. cover up their hair with special hats to prevent hair DNA tracing, layered gloves to prevent fingerprints, ...).
If you steal someones laptop regardless of how it's done, the one thing you do not do is turn it on and attempt to sign into their Windows account (even if there is no password existent and you previously knew this, you do not sign in first). You open up the laptop and remove the HDD/SSD and you connect this to another system and analyse the data on it (assuming it's decrypted - since some rare people apply disk encryption). From here on you can inspect if there any protection mechanisms put in place such as Anti-Theft, and even steal any documents present on the disk which you need, without needing to be using their system at all.
If you turn on their system, sign in and attempt to use it without proper checks, then you would leave yourself vulnerable to being caught. For example, they may have Anti-Theft enabled and this can cause the owner to receive a notification of the new location of the device (after connecting it to the internet), or even silently record your microphone/webcam, or remotely wipe the data. If you do however turn on the device, you make sure that there is no way it can connect to the internet (remove the network adapter and the such). You also need to be cautious of any documents you transfer from the device onto your own, say on case they contain malicious code which will be part of the anti-theft to be executed on your new system with the internet enabled (e.g. hidden within important documents -> connects and checks signal -> sends info back to owner silently).
Or they can just format the disk as soon as they get it and start fresh; the problem with this though is hardware identification with some services (if they exist for any service used afterwards), which can be a method of identifying an active stolen device. Therefore, you'd need to mess with hardware to replace components, or spoof sent data to some specific services.
Obviously I do not go around stealing peoples laptops and thinking of how I can bypass typical forensic analysis in home robberies and how to circumvent any anti-theft mechanisms, but just think about it logically and how you can better protect your data...
One of the best things you can actually do is encrypt your disk altogether. This means if someone attempts to remove your disk and connect it to their own system, they'll need to decrypt the documents before they can be actively used, and depending on the encryption method it may not actually be reversible without the private key, leaving a long lengthy time-consuming brute-force option at their hands (which they probably won't even try due to how time consuming it can be).
A good idea would be a safely secured USB drive which you carry around with you everywhere which is heavily protected (all information on it is encrypted and the only way to decrypt it is via the private key, similar to the more advanced and powerful ransomware threats out there, using RSA-2048). To use your device and have the data accessible, you need to plug-in the USB but also pass the USB protection mechanisms. And after maybe 5 failed attempts = auto-wipe all data on the device. I can imagine secret government agency devices doing similar things to this. Of course not an option for a Home user, haha.
You can also set a BIOS password in place however flashing the BIOS/hardware manipulation can resolve this relatively quickly. This will at least create a time barrier before the thief can boot up your machine and actually use it, though.
That being said, if your device ever becomes stolen, make sure to quickly reset all your passwords to your accounts... Such as social media, e-mail, banking, everything.
There is just so much that can be discussed that I can go on forever with this post.
If you steal someones laptop regardless of how it's done, the one thing you do not do is turn it on and attempt to sign into their Windows account (even if there is no password existent and you previously knew this, you do not sign in first). You open up the laptop and remove the HDD/SSD and you connect this to another system and analyse the data on it (assuming it's decrypted - since some rare people apply disk encryption). From here on you can inspect if there any protection mechanisms put in place such as Anti-Theft, and even steal any documents present on the disk which you need, without needing to be using their system at all.
If you turn on their system, sign in and attempt to use it without proper checks, then you would leave yourself vulnerable to being caught. For example, they may have Anti-Theft enabled and this can cause the owner to receive a notification of the new location of the device (after connecting it to the internet), or even silently record your microphone/webcam, or remotely wipe the data. If you do however turn on the device, you make sure that there is no way it can connect to the internet (remove the network adapter and the such). You also need to be cautious of any documents you transfer from the device onto your own, say on case they contain malicious code which will be part of the anti-theft to be executed on your new system with the internet enabled (e.g. hidden within important documents -> connects and checks signal -> sends info back to owner silently).
Or they can just format the disk as soon as they get it and start fresh; the problem with this though is hardware identification with some services (if they exist for any service used afterwards), which can be a method of identifying an active stolen device. Therefore, you'd need to mess with hardware to replace components, or spoof sent data to some specific services.
Obviously I do not go around stealing peoples laptops and thinking of how I can bypass typical forensic analysis in home robberies and how to circumvent any anti-theft mechanisms, but just think about it logically and how you can better protect your data...
One of the best things you can actually do is encrypt your disk altogether. This means if someone attempts to remove your disk and connect it to their own system, they'll need to decrypt the documents before they can be actively used, and depending on the encryption method it may not actually be reversible without the private key, leaving a long lengthy time-consuming brute-force option at their hands (which they probably won't even try due to how time consuming it can be).
A good idea would be a safely secured USB drive which you carry around with you everywhere which is heavily protected (all information on it is encrypted and the only way to decrypt it is via the private key, similar to the more advanced and powerful ransomware threats out there, using RSA-2048). To use your device and have the data accessible, you need to plug-in the USB but also pass the USB protection mechanisms. And after maybe 5 failed attempts = auto-wipe all data on the device. I can imagine secret government agency devices doing similar things to this. Of course not an option for a Home user, haha.
You can also set a BIOS password in place however flashing the BIOS/hardware manipulation can resolve this relatively quickly. This will at least create a time barrier before the thief can boot up your machine and actually use it, though.
That being said, if your device ever becomes stolen, make sure to quickly reset all your passwords to your accounts... Such as social media, e-mail, banking, everything.
There is just so much that can be discussed that I can go on forever with this post.
- Jan 14, 2015
- 1,761
No, I don't use any tracking software for my laptop because if the thief has a brain then they will be able to get into my house and steal it without being caught in the act (or afterwards by forensics) and they will also know how to circumvent any locks put in place on the device such as Anti-Theft. (e.g. cover up their hair with special hats to prevent hair DNA tracing, layered gloves to prevent fingerprints, ...).
If you steal someones laptop regardless of how it's done, the one thing you do not do is turn it on and attempt to sign into their Windows account (even if there is no password existent and you previously knew this, you do not sign in first). You open up the laptop and remove the HDD/SSD and you connect this to another system and analyse the data on it (assuming it's decrypted - since some rare people apply disk encryption). From here on you can inspect if there any protection mechanisms put in place such as Anti-Theft, and even steal any documents present on the disk which you need, without needing to be using their system at all.
If you turn on their system, sign in and attempt to use it without proper checks, then you would leave yourself vulnerable to being caught. For example, they may have Anti-Theft enabled and this can cause the owner to receive a notification of the new location of the device (after connecting it to the internet), or even silently record your microphone/webcam, or remotely wipe the data. If you do however turn on the device, you make sure that there is no way it can connect to the internet (remove the network adapter and the such). You also need to be cautious of any documents you transfer from the device onto your own, say on case they contain malicious code which will be part of the anti-theft to be executed on your new system with the internet enabled (e.g. hidden within important documents -> connects and checks signal -> sends info back to owner silently).
Or they can just format the disk as soon as they get it and start fresh; the problem with this though is hardware identification with some services (if they exist for any service used afterwards), which can be a method of identifying an active stolen device. Therefore, you'd need to mess with hardware to replace components, or spoof sent data to some specific services.
Obviously I do not go around stealing peoples laptops and thinking of how I can bypass typical forensic analysis in home robberies and how to circumvent any anti-theft mechanisms, but just think about it logically and how you can better protect your data...
One of the best things you can actually do is encrypt your disk altogether. This means if someone attempts to remove your disk and connect it to their own system, they'll need to decrypt the documents before they can be actively used, and depending on the encryption method it may not actually be reversible without the private key, leaving a long lengthy time-consuming brute-force option at their hands (which they probably won't even try due to how time consuming it can be).
A good idea would be a safely secured USB drive which you carry around with you everywhere which is heavily protected (all information on it is encrypted and the only way to decrypt it is via the private key, similar to the more advanced and powerful ransomware threats out there, using RSA-2048). To use your device and have the data accessible, you need to plug-in the USB but also pass the USB protection mechanisms. And after maybe 5 failed attempts = auto-wipe all data on the device. I can imagine secret government agency devices doing similar things to this. Of course not an option for a Home user, haha.
You can also set a BIOS password in place however flashing the BIOS/hardware manipulation can resolve this relatively quickly. This will at least create a time barrier before the thief can boot up your machine and actually use it, though.
That being said, if your device ever becomes stolen, make sure to quickly reset all your passwords to your accounts... Such as social media, e-mail, banking, everything.
There is just so much that can be discussed that I can go on forever with this post.
If there is a theft, chances of being nosy and seeing whats there is 5%. Either parts are taken for sale or a full wipe before reselling or personal use.
thats all to it.
- Sep 28, 2015
- 543
Ah, yes? Had me there for a minute after those perfect instructions on Tech Robbery 101.
***
I thought about it, but never actually installed anything of the like. I'd probably use it to satisfy my curiosity where the darn thing went (I'm a nosy little fella like that
), but wouldn't get my hopes up as far as recovery goes. The way police handles things these days, I'd probably get arrested for violating the perpetrator's privacy if I showed them a pic made remotely with the webcam. Also, petty theft won't really get a judge to sign off on combing through provider data. That's the domain of the Food Agency. Well, in the U.K. at least. Also, petty theft is usually perpetrated by morons. The guys you saw on that latest heist movie are quite rare.
It's mostly just about getting whatever money is needed for the next fix. They'll put everything in the trunk, take it to the next fence and hope to get a decent sum for the lot. The chance of them even opening a notebook is extremely slim. Of course, somewhere in that chain somebody will eventually have to take a peek, so encryption makes perfect sense nonetheless.
