"You hear a lot about hackers, Trojan horse programs, and spyware, but in the office, two of the biggest threats to your data are prying eyes and sticky fingers.

How often is your PC left unattended, where what's on the screen is in plain view -- no matter how secret or confidential -- or where given the chance, a thief could easily abscond with the whole system? For many of us, the answer is "too often."

Smart cards and biometrics (thumb prints, retina scans, etc.) are wonderful things, but with most, once you've logged in, your computer is vulnerable as soon as you walk away.

I marvel how often I see an executive office where the occupant has been called away, leaving Outlook on the computer screen, ready to be perused, with the Start Menu just a click away, eager to divulge which documents were most recently opened."

Caveo Anti-Theft operates by detecting motion, analyzing it to determine whether a threat exists, and implementing responses. It is independent of the computer operating system and operates whether the laptop is on or off. Illustration: Caveo Technology

"Caveo Anti-Theft PC Card

Stories abound about laptops loaded with valuable corporate documents being stolen from meeting rooms, airports, restaurants, and other public places.

Replacing a laptop is relatively cheap compared to the damage that can result from sensitive information becoming public knowledge or details about the company's network configuration falling into the wrong hands.

As the wireless revolution unfolds, it is likely that computer theft rates will climb. Office supply and computer stores sell all kinds of locks and cables, but while tethering may be viable for a desktop PC, no one is going chain down their laptop in an airport restroom or an Internet cafe.

If money is no object, a GPS tracking system might be an option, but the solution offered by Caveo Technology is much more affordable.

Borrowing the idea of motion detectors from automobile alarms, the Cambridge, Ma.-based company's device incorporates a motion-sensor memory and high-pitch alarm circuitry into a standard PC Card (what used to be called "PCMCIA card").

When the system is armed, any movement of the laptop will trigger either warning tones,voice messages, or the .WAV file of your choice. Keep moving the device, and the warnings will eventually become a continuous high-pitch alarm.

The Caveo alarm is not nearly as loud as the average smoke detector, which is what I expected, but when I set it off in my office, I can attest that my co-workers came running (and eventually started to complain). The sound isn't the only theft deterrent, however.

When the alarm goes off, the system shuts down and reboots. When it comes back up, a dialog box asks for a 16-digit emergency password. Without the correct password, the computer is inoperable.

The software even has an option to encrypt the data on the hard disk, so that if the computer is stolen and rendered inoperable, the thief will not be able to move the hard drive to another computer to read the data. As my youthful associates would say, "sweet."

Caveo Anti-Theft shuts down the computer as soon as the theft is detected. The computer will not restart, nor can confidential information be accessed, without the PC Card. For security reasons, the Caveo Anti-Theft PC Card and software are "married." The PC Card will only work in the laptop in which its software resides. Illustration: Caveo Technology

Caveo Anti-Theft is always on, even if the computer is powered off. Power interruptions don't faze it, not is it affected by the removal of the laptop's battery. When the laptop is on, the card's built-in battery is recharged by the laptop.

A password-protected utility to configure the system is access by clicking a system tray icon. The icon also arms or disarms the systems, or you can use the "motion password." The latter works by holding the laptop in three different positions and letting the motion sensor memorize them.

The motion password makes it convenient for users to arm or disarm the system without having to power on the computer. It's ingenious, but the configuration process takes a lot of patience.

Like any alarm system, the Caveo Anti-Theft PC Card is a deterrent, not a fool-proof solution. Once the alarm goes off, a thief can easily eject the card and toss it, but meanwhile the siren is sure to draw attention.

If the thief does escape with the laptop, the victim can take comfort in knowing the hard disk will have to re-partitioned and formatted before the device can be used.

Also, note that Caveo Anti-Theft PC Card is v.1.0 software, so look for further refinements and enhancements. The card retails for $99."

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