Theft is something none of us want to be the victim of. Especially when it involves an expensive piece of equipment such as a laptop. It’s not just the financial implications that hit us hard, but also the potential loss of many personal files. People can spend months saving for the latest laptop, but it’s the treasured photos, documents, videos and other personal files that can often cause the most grief. In this post, we’ll share the best apps for tracking stolen laptops.
Not only can this event be upsetting, but it can also be incredibly dangerous due to the fact that a criminal could now have access to your email or bank accounts. With identify theft becoming increasingly common, the combination of personal documents on your laptop and potential access to bank & email accounts could have disastrous consequences.
Here are some of the top apps for increasing laptop security. Allowing you to track your laptop down and even remotely shut the system off. Making it much easier to sleep at night knowing that a thief no longer has access to your sensitive data.
Best Apps for Tracking Stolen Laptops
1. EXO5
Cost: £309 for 3 years of security across 25 devices.
Site: www.exo5.com
Features: RemoteKill file encryption, drive lock, curfew, geolocation, logs, data export and RiskSense alerts.
EX05 is the perfect option for most small or medium sized businesses. Allowing you to protect a number of different devices for a total of 3 years.
It is simple to install, taking just a few minutes by downloading the Agent Installer. This .EXE file needs to be run on any of the devices you wish to track. Once this has been completed, you can view all of the currently tracked devices by viewing the ‘Assets’ tab.
Once in the ‘Asset’ tab, you can select an individual device and view it’s current location. This is displayed via Google Maps and uses Wi-Fi triangulation technology to accurately display it’s position. You also have the option of viewing the public IP address and whether or not the laptop (or other device) is currently connected to the internet.
Each device listed contains information regarding it’s current hardware configuration and installed software. Allowing you, from a business perspective, to ensure your devices are being used for the right purpose.
The RemoteKill option is great. Giving you the ability to remotely encrypt files and folders in the event of the device being stolen. This feature, and other similar ones can all be easily reversed in the event of the laptop being recovered.
2. FrontDoorSoftware
Cost: FREE (for $30 you get unlimited location tracking and a 3 year license)
Site: www.frontdoorsoftware.com
Features: Remote lockdown, custom text message alert, geolocation tracking, stolen alert display, start-up audible prevention alert.
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Even though this app is free, it still includes some of the same features found in the paid-for software. The interface is not as ‘pretty’ as others and the installation process is a bit of a pain. It does not walk you through the process like many of the paid-for software, but instead has a number of text boxes and buttons with no description of what each is for.
Once re-booted, the usual Windows login screen is accompanied by a FrontDoorSoftware box stating that this device is protected. Even though this is nice and assuring, it gives any potential thief an indication of what they’re up against and that they have to work fast.
Devices can be remotely locked and marked as stolen through a web interface. Again in the event of the laptop being returned, you can simply enter a code to unlock the device.
3. GadgetTrak
Cost: £13 per year
Site: www.gadgettrak.com
Features: Wi-Fi positioning, integrated police reports, online dashboard and webcam support.
This app provides excellent device protection and tracking for a GadgetTrack account holder. Once the app has been downloaded and installed on a laptop, you will need your user information to register it.
Your personal control panel at www.trak.me allows you to activate the tracking of a particular device. Giving you e-mail reports every half hour detailing information to help you track and locate your device.
This app also features a very handy tool where it takes snapshots via your laptop’s webcam. Hopefully allowing you to capture the thief in person. Making it far easier for the authorities to locate your stolen piece of equipment.
However when the device is turned off, the app cannot send any tracking information out. But as soon as it is turned on, you will get an e-mail report immediately.
First things first though, you’ll need to make sure you have a laptop to steal! See the entire range of Novatech laptops at http://www.novatech.co.uk/laptop/all/
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