Vancouver, Canada: October 16, 2008 – Absolute Software Corporation, the leading provider of firmware-based, patented, Computer Theft Recovery, Data Protection and Secure Asset Tracking solutions announced today that the popular ASUS B50 line of business notebooks now provide embedded support for Absolute’s mobile computer anti-theft and management solution Computrace. Computrace is shipped in a non-active state and can be activated in the firmware by customers upon purchasing a subscription to Absolute’s security services.
"Absolute’s Computrace is an essential layer of security for our highly mobile notebook computers," said Kevin Huang, Senior Marketing Director of ASUS. "With Absolute embedded in the firmware, we can give our executive customers access to the recovery capabilities of Computrace so they can rest assured that their notebook and data are safe."
ASUS’ B50 takes every consideration of the business executive’s varied computing needs for power, reliability, mobility, and security into account.
The B50A offers additional levels of security with an integrated biometric fingerprint scanner and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for secure login and encryption. These features help to ensure that data and transactions through the notebook are secure, yet remain efficient and easy to use.
With embedded support for Computrace, ASUS customers can fully benefit from subscriptions to Absolute’s complete range of Computrace and Computrace LoJack for Laptops anti-theft and management solutions - with tamper-resistant, self-healing capabilities. Computrace delivers the ability to:
• Track and manage computers on the LAN or in the field
• Remotely delete sensitive information for regulatory compliance
• Physically recover lost or stolen computers
• Easily inventory all computers regardless of their location
• Remotely inventory software licenses
• Detect hardware changes or prohibited software installations
• Conduct post-theft forensic investigations into computer use
"ASUS is one of the world’s top 10 notebook manufacturers. They are recognized for their expertise in creating notebooks for the mobile business executive; those who are frequent travelers and as a result, often find themselves in areas at high risk for theft," said John Livingston, Chairman and CEO of Absolute. "According to the Ponemon Institute, 53% of mobile professionals carry confidential information on their notebook computers.1 By providing the ability to delete files and identify if files have been accessed, Absolute is focused on providing comprehensive security for that sensitive information should a notebook become lost or stolen."
How Computrace Solutions Work
Computrace software is embedded in the firmware of computers from the world’s leading computer manufacturers right at the factory for extreme tamper-resistance.2 The stealthy Computrace Agent is capable of surviving operating system re-installations, as well as hard-drive reformats, replacements and re-imaging. It can be activated by customers when they purchase a subscription with terms ranging from one to four years.
When a computer is stolen, the Absolute Theft Recovery Team uses information sent via Computrace to investigate computer thefts, document evidence and work with local law enforcement to physically recover missing computers and prosecute computer thieves. To augment their investigation, the team deploys a powerful set of theft recovery tools developed by Absolute, which include capabilities such as keystroke loggers, web cameras, location tracking (Wi-Fi triangulation, GPS) and remote access tools. All tools are only employed post-theft with express and unambiguous customer authorization and consent and are used exclusively by Absolute’s trained professionals in order to protect privacy.
