Ericsson has start to collaborate with Intel to ensure that Ericsson’s Mobile Broadband Modules are interoperable with Intel Anti-Theft PC Protection Technology for notebooks. Through this collaboration between Ericsson and Intel, a theft management service residing in the network can send a message via SMS to the mobile broadband module inside the notebook, which securely transfers the message to Intel’s Anti-Theft function inside the processor platform, which takes appropriate actions, such as completely locking the computer, making it unusable. When the notebook is located and recovered, an unlock message can be sent to the notebook that makes the data accessible again.

When a loss or theft is detected, Intel Anti-Theft PC Protection technology can lock the laptop, rendering it useless, by blocking the boot process, and when working in conjunction with third-party encryption hardware or software can protect data by deleting cryptographic keys or similar essential code for decryption.

The theft management service can also take advantage of built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) technology in the Ericsson mobile broadband module, which can send location data to a central server. The location function can be utilized to determine a theft situation when the notebook is moved outside a pre-defined area. The solution will be available in commercial data protection products starting second half of 2009.

Lenovo ThinkPad T400 notebooks can already support for Intel Anti-Theft PC Protection with Absolute Computrace software. Absolute Computrace and Intel Anti-Theft PC Protection working together provide the PC with intelligent mechanisms that detect potential theft situations and respond according to programmed IT policy. For example, if a Lenovo ThinkPad T400 notebook has not “checked in” with the Absolute Monitoring Center over the Internet within a specified time, Anti-Theft PC Protection working through Computrace would automatically lock the notebook, rendering it unusable to an unauthorized user. Working alone, Intel Anti-Theft PC Protection can lock a computer if it experiences more than a prescribed number of password attempts, or if it exceeds an internally programmed IT policy for check-in time.