Laptop Security

"The Laptop for Klutzes"

2009-12-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

Today, we came across a Tom's Guide review of the Samsung netbook (model N130) with Phoenix FailSafe™.

The reviewer Rachel Rosmarin wrote that the Samsung N130 is durable, solid and rugged. She went on to say: "The corners are nicely rounded and grippable, and the lid is anything but flimsy. The fact that the lid is matte, not shiny, make it one of the first netbooks we’ve tested to avoid the fingerprint-magnet trap...When we factored each of these features into the price (it is easy to find for under $300), and then tested the Phoenix Failsafe laptop tracking software trial that comes loaded on the machine, we came to one conclusion: This netbook is the perfect gift for a klutz (or a ditz). And klutzes deserve gifts, too."

Writing specifically about FailSafe, Rosmarin states, "Finally, if the N130 does get lost, left behind, or stolen, the $39.95 investment in a year’s subscription to the Failsafe service means it has a good shot at being tracked down (even if a thief wipes the system and installs a new hard drive). After initial set-up of FailSafe, a Web interface gives you the skinny on the computer’s last known locations, IP address, ISP and wireless network. You can disable the machine from afar, or start siphoning importing documents off of it. You can even send a message on the screen to the thief or good Samaritan who starts to use it. When paired with the Samsung N130 and a lovable klutz, FailSafe becomes a practical insurance policy that turns a $300 machine into an investment rather than a disposable tool."

Learn more about Samsung netbooks here.

A Big Boo Boo

2009-12-03T10:57:00.000-08:00

A Children's Hospital of Philadelphia laptop containing personal info for 943 people was stolen from an employee's car this past October. This is yet another case where an employee’s laptop is stolen from a car and – guess what? – it didn't have proper security on it. So not only is the missing computer un-trackable, its contents with personal data is now available for exploitation by criminals.

Nearly a thousand people are now vulnerable to identity theft, though the hospital has said it is providing credit monitoring service for all the individuals whose information was compromised.

If you’re aware of security products like Phoenix Technologies FailSafe®, you can't help wondering why every employer and every individual is not rushing to protect themselves, their PCs, and their priceless data with this type of innovative security software/service.

We consumers need to start demanding that companies and organizations with files that contain our personal data to be handle with extreme care. Think about how much pain the loss of your personal data could cause you if it led to your identity being stolen. The time and money lost could be enormous.

Obviously, it’s time to address this issue. Whenever you give out personal information that could lead to loss of your identity, be sure to ask how the data’s going to be protected and if it’s going to be stored on mobile computing devices.

Check out these tips for good ways to protect your personal laptops from loss or theft.

Notebooks.com's Review of FailSafe™

2009-10-12T09:18:00.000-07:00

Review of Phoenix FailSafe: Track Down Lost Laptops and Data

Notebooks.com reviewer Josh Smith wrote:

The FailSafe service provides several useful features to safeguard your laptop and the information you keep on it. Even with the limitations on file recovery; FailSafe provides users with useful features and assistance in tracking down a lost or missing laptop.

FailSafe is limited by the fact that you can only purchase it with a new computer and when purchased from Dell, you must purchase it as part of Dell CompleteCare package. But, if you’re already looking for accidental coverage then FailSafe is a strong laptop location and protection service.

Read the entire review here:
http://www.notebooks.com/2009/10/12/review-of-phoenix-failsafe-track-down-lost-laptops-and-data/

Review of Phoenix FailSafe™

2009-10-08T09:08:00.001-07:00

Sal Cangeloso posted a review of Phoenix FailSafe laptop anti-theft protection software today on Geek.com. Below is some of what he had to say:

"The basic structure of FailSafe is pretty simple. It’s a software tool that you install on your computer that, when connected to the internet, gives you control of the system through a website. A web-based dashboard offers you a surprising amount of information while giving you access to files as well as the ability to exert some control over the computer’s data. It is only of use if your computer is missing/stolen so it is not a deterrent (in fact it would be best if the thief does not know you have it installed). For this article the consumer version of the software was used on a Dell 14z laptop."

Read the entire review here:
http://www.geek.com/articles/chips/review-phoenix-failsafe-laptop-protection-program-2009108/

Laptop Theft in Educational Settings

2009-10-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

Even the "Safe Room" is not safe from laptop thefts at Wayne State University. Read all about it at here: http://www.thesouthendnews.com/the-safe-room-1.1939645#5

FailSafe™ for Small Businesses

2009-09-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

The Phoenix FailSafe Business Edition is designed for securing and managing multiple computers as well as preventing data loss. It features business-specific capabilities such as policy management and asset management.

Phoenix FailSafe customers will be able to take advantage of Intel® Anti-Theft Technology (Intel AT), which is designed into system hardware. Through FailSafe, an authorized information technology (IT) administrator or enterprise security officer can remotely define hardware-based policies that remotely or locally command the notebook to lock itself down and prevent any OS from booting.

If you run a small business, you can always know where your monitored computer is by using FailSafe. The location of each laptop is maintained using a variety of tracking methods. The tracking information is automatically overlaid onto a detailed map that is easily accessible from any Web browser.

What Would You Do If Your Notebook Was Lost or Stolen?

2009-09-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

A) Swear B) Fume C) Kick the dog D) Wish you had FailSafe

FailSafe™ is a service that’s like an insurance policy for a laptop computer. It gives subscribers the ability to remotely control their laptops and secure data using a web-based control center as well as track and recover missing or stolen laptops.

With FailSafe, consumers and business people can relax knowing that any lost or stolen mobile computing devices containing confidential and financial information can easily be tracked and disabled while the data can be remotely retrieved, and even erased, if need be.

FailSafe is the unique asset tracking, computer recovery, and data protection service from Phoenix Technologies - the global market leader in system firmware that provides the most secure foundation for today’s computing environments. With FailSafe, consumers and business people can sleep soundly again.

For Consumers
When your notebook computer is lost or stolen, it’s a triple-whammy. 1) It’s a major headache; 2) it’s costly to replace the notebook; and 3) it invites the misuse of the sensitive data files you have stored on it. Computer theft opens the door to the potentially bigger problems of data loss and identity theft.

Unfortunately, it’s a growing reality for hundreds of thousands of consumers, as between 600,000 and 1.5 million notebooks are stolen or lost each year in the U.S. alone. Clearly, it’s foolish to ignore this increasing threat and not have computer security software, thinking it won’t happen to you. It’s smart to have an “insurance policy” like FailSafe - the unique tracking, recovery, and data protection service from Phoenix Technologies that will give you peace of mind.

For Businesses
A lost or stolen laptop computer can be costly in many ways for your company. In addition to having to replace an expensive piece of mobile computing equipment, computer theft opens the door to data loss, litigation, embarrassment, and, almost certainly, a direct hit to your business’s bottom line.

In short, for businesses big and small, a lost or stolen company laptop can be a real nightmare. Unfortunately, it’s a growing reality for hundreds of thousands of businesses as well as consumers every year.

Clearly, there needs to be an “insurance policy” like FailSafe for companies with laptops. FailSafe is asset management software that can track assets to address the “what if?” scenario of a missing laptop that could be a major business disruption. In addition to asset tracking, FailSafe has data encryption and recovery capabilities.

FailSafe is available on Dell Studio 14z laptops.

Electricpig - the UK Tech Hub Reviews FailSafe on Samsung Netbook

2009-08-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

"Although no one wants to lose their netbook, with the Samsung N310 and Phoenix FailSafe™, you at least have the peace-of-mind that a thief will not be able to read your email, or access your files, and with the location tracking may even be quickly apprehend!"

Check out the entire review titled "Phoenix Failsafe and the Samsung N310" here:

http://www.electricpig.co.uk/samsung-n310-designed-to-inspire/phoenix-failsafe-and-the-samsung-n310/

"Oklahoma! Where Laptop Theft is a Pain!"

2009-08-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

Came across this report of a Williams Cos. laptop theft that potential exposed 4400 employees personal information including Social Security numbers and "compensation data" and wondered when are businesses and governments going to step up to better protect their customers and employees.

The technology is available to secure laptops' data once they go missing. Check out FailSafe.com for a good example.

Unfortunately, almost everyone seems to be in reactive mode, instead of being proactive. In a letter to employees, Williams Cos. "encouraged employees to check bank accounts regularly and sign up for Experian Triple Advantage, which monitors all three major credit bureaus. Williams Cos. said it would pay for a one-year membership."

It probably would have been a lot more cost-effective to have security policies, software and services in place before hand, than having to pay for credit monitoring services for 4400 employees and the black-eye to the organization's reputation.

The report ended with more tales of Oklahoma laptop theft and data loss:
"Williams is not the only major employer in Oklahoma victimized by the theft of a laptop containing personal information. In April, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services notified clients in nearly 500,000 households that their names and case data were in a computer stolen from an Oklahoma City parking lot.

"Also this year, a work laptop of an Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency employee was stolen in a home burglary, and a flash drive with confidential data from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission was lost."

Of course, Oklahoma is in no way the only place where identity theft could become rampant because of loss or stolen personal computers.

RE: The Most Embarrassing Data Losses of All Time

2009-07-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

When you read this month's Unique Scoop article titled "The Most Embarrassing Data Losses of All Time" and if you’re aware of security products' like Phoenix Technologies' FailSafe(tm), you can't help wondering why every employer and every individual is not in a hurry to protect themselves and their PCs with this type of innovative software.

People really should be demanding that companies and organizations with files that contain their personal data should be very secure. Just think about how much pain the loss of your personal data could cause you if it led to your identity being stolen.

All national governments should mandate that any organization or individual that has their citizens’ personal data stored on a mobile computing device, must have special mobile security software/service like FailSafe.

Special mobile device security should have to feature the ability to track the missing device and to be able to remotely disable it so that the files and confidential data cannot be accessed.

The Unique Scoop piece states the problem in a nutshell:

It seems totally bizarre to us that some of the most sensitive data on earth quite often is carried around on standard laptops that could be easily lost or stolen. Make no mistake this happens more than most of us realize. Don’t be under the naive illusion that sensitive data about each and every one of us is safely under lock and key at all times - or, at least, behind firewalls and passwords. It just isn’t.

Obviously, it’s time to address this issue. Whenever you give out personal information that could lead to identity theft, be sure to ask how it’s going to be protected and if it’s going to be stored on mobile computing devices. Check out FailSafe.com for background on the type of security laptops should have.

U of Colorado Laptop Stolen

2009-07-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

There's a report out today that a University of Colorado at Colorado Springs' laptop was stolen and now over 240 students are at risk of identity theft because their Social Security numbers were on the stolen laptop.

According to the news report, students who attended the college as far back as 2003 might have had their personal information exposed and are at risk. Now, I'd be pretty annoyed if an instution I attended five years ago still had my personal information on a laptop. There's some thing wrong with this picture.

There's should be rules for what kind of information that is stored on mobile PCs and for how long. Furthermore, all laptops should have security products like FailSafe that allow the owners to disable the missing computer to protect the files and identities of individuals.

Laptop Theft Stats from CSI

2009-07-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

Here's why you and your company should seriously consider Phoenix FailSafe(tm):

From CapeGazette.com:

According to the Computer Security Institute (CSI), in 2008, 42 percent of major corporations surveyed experienced laptop theft resulting in major losses. CSI also found the average corporation had 640 laptops, 1,075 smart phones, 1,985 memory sticks and 1,324 other data devices stolen. And according to the Ponemon Institute and Dell, more than 12,000 laptops are stolen at airports each week; most are never recovered.

“It’s just foolhardy to be blasé about the security of your laptop, especially when you travel,” said Eric Forker, president of information technology provider Forker Technologies, which services small and medium-size companies throughout Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania and south Jersey. “There’s a lot of vital data at stake, and the headaches involved with the loss of data or outright theft of your laptop are epic. The good news is there are some easy, inexpensive things you can do to prevent it or to mitigate the potential loss to your company.”

Read the full story here:
http://www.capegazette.com/storiescurrent/200907/laptops10.html

Study Says of All Missing Laptops - 20% are Stolen, 80% are Lost

2009-06-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

Came across an interesting article today on IT World that talked about the Intel and Ponemon Institute study about the cost to businesses of lost or stolen laptop:

"A recent study commissioned by Intel and conducted by the Ponemon Institute shows that a lost or stolen laptop is worth far more than just the hardware. When everything is taken into account, such losses cost a company as much as $115,000 and an average of $49,000.

The study analyzed 138 cases of lost and stolen notebooks. The average cost of $49,246 was based on costs associated with much more than just hardware and software replacement: detection and escalation, forensics and investigation, data breach, lost intellectual property, lost productivity, and other legal or regulatory costs. The study notes that the highest cost components are data breach and intellectual property loss..."

Now, I'm wondering how much costs could be reduced if lost or stolen laptops had Phoenix Technologies' FailSafe. My guess is substantial.

Read the full story here:
http://theitdesk.blogspot.com/2009/06/lost-or-stolen-laptops-cost-companies.html

More Talk about FailSafe on Dell Laptops

2009-06-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

PC Mag.com mentioned Phoenix Technologies's FailSafe on Dell's new studio laptops 14z in a May 28, 2009 posting:

"...The 14z will also feature FailSafe theft prevention, a first for a consumer laptop. When FailSafe is engaged, the laptop's owner will be able to track network information and the ISP location, and even remotely erase selected files and render the laptop unusable until it's unlocked..."

Check out the entire article here:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2347768,00.asp

Did You Hear the One About....

2009-06-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

Did you hear the one about a laptop containing highly sensitive data on 109,000 British pensions members being stolen?

"The Pensions Trust has confirmed that a laptop containing confidential data on 109,000 Britons was stolen from the offices of its software provider, NorthgateArinso.

The laptop contained data from 2007, including names, addresses, National Insurance numbers, salary details and in some cases bank details. The data was not encrypted, but the laptop had password protection..."

Ah, do you think that's enough security? Phoenix FailSafe would have made this laptop loss a whole lot less newsworthy because it can easily and remotely delete all the files and disable the laptop.

Read the entire story here:
http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2243170/100-britons-pension-stolen

FailSafe On Dell Laptops

2009-06-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

Dell's Studio 14z is the "industry's first consumer laptop available with FailSafe theft prevention" a San Jose Mercury News reported recently.

FYI: Phoenix FailSafe lets you lock your laptop remotely to prevent use if it is lost or stolen. It also lets you retrieve data from the missing notebook and once you've saved it elsewhere, you can erase it from the missing notebook, too.

Read the entire San Jose Mercury article here:
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_12496954?source=rss

The Triple Whammy of Losing Your Laptop

2009-05-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

When your notebook computer is lost or stolen, it’s a triple-whammy.
1) It’s a major headache; it’s costly to replace the notebook;
2) It invites the misuse of the sensitive data files you have stored on it;
3) Computer theft opens the door to the potentially bigger problems of data loss and identity theft.

Unfortunately, it’s a growing reality for hundreds of thousands of consumers, as between 600,000 and 1.5 million notebooks are stolen or lost each year in the U.S. alone. Clearly, it’s foolish to ignore this increasing threat and not have computer security software, thinking it won’t happen to you. Check out www.failsafe.com.