Intel anti-theft technology for laptops soon

Intel plans to introduce anti-theft technology in its laptops, by the end of 2008.

The Intel anti-theft technology would disable the system, lock the disk, and disable data access in case of theft. According to a technology news source, the new capability will be added to Intel's Active Management Technology, which is part of Centrino vPro.

Aimed at rendering both the processor and storage inaccessible in case of theft, Intel's anti-theft technology is expected to make sure that valuable corporate or personal data does not fall into wrong hands. Analysts believe that the innovation in fact would address the problem of lost data on stolen and missing laptops.

Intel’s new anti-theft technology is expected to give information technology managers a way of protecting data once a machine goes missing. Following in the footsteps of Intel, several other companies are also said to be working on anti-theft technology. The companies include Lenovo Group, McAfee, Fujitsu Siemens Computers and Phoenix Technologies.

The need for anti-theft technology had been talked about ever since 2006 when Boeing reported the theft of a laptop that contained social security numbers, names and home addresses of 382,000 current and former employees, said a report.

Now that Intel is gearing up to introduce its anti-theft technology, PC makers and companies seem to be looking forward to what they believe would address a major security concern. Intel is yet to reveal finer details about the anti-theft technology.