It's tempting to save money at school. Who hasn't found the nearest all-you-can eat buffet near campus? But, when it comes to protecting your laptop, it's best not to cut corners.
While the popularity of free, open source laptop anti-theft software is increasing, there are significant downsides to many of these options. Let's examine some common pitfalls of open source anti-theft solutions:
- Tracking Vulnerability — Many free software tools are rendered useless if the thief simply re-formats the system. If that happens, you lose all protection. LoJack for Laptops is not vulnerable to simple re-formatting — as users can attest.
- Limited Reporting — Some open source solutions only keep a limited record of when a laptop checks in its location signal, deleting older records as new ones appear. If you didn't record older geo-information, you'd lose valuable evidence that could help you find your laptop.
- Recover at Your Own Risk — While open source options might be able to track down your laptop, it's up to you to recover it. With a busy school schedule, that would be difficult to do. More importantly, taking matters into your own hands can be very dangerous. Oftentimes criminals are involved in other vile, illegal activities. Absolute Software's Theft Recovery Team has standing relationships with law enforcement, which increases the likelihood of recovery and keeps you out of harm's way.
It's true — you get what you pay for. And when you're protecting your school laptop, it's best to play it safe. Leave the forensics to the professionals.
