TEXAS LOJACK FOR LAPTOPSnbc5i.com - Technology - Security-Conscious People Loading Lojack On LaptopsSecurity-Conscious People Loading Lojack On Laptops
Laptop computers have become nearly as plentiful as cellular telephones, but a lost or stolen computer could pose a greater security.

The laptop industry has taken a page from automotive-security to reduce the risks posed by a missing laptop.

Laptop owners now have the option of having Lojack security technology -- already in use to track missing automobiles -- loaded on their machines to track the devices if they become lost or stolen.

"We embed a piece of software in a very hidden spot on the computer's hard drive," said Richard Cohen of laptop computer security company Absolute Software. "It actually calls us every day to tell us where it is. If a customer calls us and says the computer's stolen, we flag that in our database and start tracking it more closely."

The Lojack installation costs about $100.

Physically tracking a missing laptop could take hours or days. People who have a hard drive loaded with financial or other sensitive data have a more immediate option to secure information.

Lojack customers can have the security company destroy the data loaded on the hard drive by activating a remote command.