Facts

• Individuals can trace a stolen laptop when it gets online by using special proprietary tracking software, such as CompuTrace or zTrace.
  
  

Features

• Typical laptop trackers, such as CompuTrace, install a program in the core of the computer that goes almost unnoticed. The software queries the company's database frequently to see if the laptop has been reported stolen. If reported stolen, the company then contacts authorities and traces the IP address of the thief.
  
  

Interesting Fact

• According to insurance agency Safeware, 591,000 laptops were stolen or lost in 2001.
  
  

Benefits

• Laptop tracking software not only assists in catching a thief and return a person's laptop, it can also delete sensitive data, such as private company information, before a thief takes advantage of it.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Georgetown University recommends keeping laptops in a backpack--laptop cases are too conspicuous for would-be thieves. In addition, users should encrypt any important data.