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CompuTrace has been shipped by every major x86 PC OEM for decades, for Windows process injection, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_Home_%26_Office https:/

CompuTrace has been shipped by every major x86 PC OEM for decades, for Windows process injection, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_Home_%26_Office https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_Home_%26_Office > Absolute Home & Office (originally known as CompuTrace, and LoJack for Laptops) is a proprietary laptop theft recovery software (laptop tracking software). The persistent security features are built into the firmware of devices. Absolute Home & Office has services of an investigations and recovery team who partners with law enforcement agencies to return laptops to their owners. Absolute Software licensed the name LoJack from the vehicle recovery service LoJack in 2005. There used to be a BIOS option for on/off and "Permanently Disable", but that might have changed in recent versions. HP: https://support.hpwolf.com/s/article/Absolute-Software-Activation-Assessment https://support.hpwolf.com/s/article/Absolute-Software-Activ... Dell: yikes, the 2024 version is a permanent one-way, one-time option for Activate or Disable? Need to check status on eBay device purchases. https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/inspiron/how-to-deactivate-the-computrace-module/65a7ae5add46c478522100dc https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/inspiron/how... Lenovo: that one time we accidentally enabled it, https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht105220-unintended-computrace-activation https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht105220-unintend... Apple x86 laptops: shipped an Arm microcontroller (T2 Security Enclave) to assert control of interactions between x86 CPU and disk storage, until they could replace the CPU with Apple Silicon. HN ranking history for this thread: https://hnrankings.info/42277714/ https://hnrankings.info/42277714/

unsnap_biceps 2y ago
Are you saying Apple x86 shipped with this? Or are you saying the T2 is equivalent?
- walterbell 2y ago
  T2 is exclusively under Apple control, without dependency on a third party (e.g. Intel, Management Engine, Absolute). The functionality of different T2 generations has been documented by Apple and security researchers. T2 included Activation Lock / Anti-Theft features.
  - altairprime 2y ago
    So, to confirm: Apple has no involvement with LoJack / Absolute; but you’ve included them because .. they have a better-known anti-theft system?
    - walterbell 2y ago
      Apple implemented an anti-theft system under their own control, even when shipping x86 platforms. Any other x86 OEM could have done the same, instead of handing control to 3rd-party CompuTrace / LoJack / Absolute. As HP says in the document at the start of this sub-thread: If the [Absolute] product is currently enabled, the risk is someone else is in a position to lock the system, wipe the drive and/or retrieve files.
      - altairprime 2y ago
        > even when shipping x86 platforms Could you say more on why x86 a focus of your reply? Absolute is supported on ARM PC laptops as well, so it’s unclear how to interpret x86 here.
        walterbell 2y ago
        Original comment said: > CompuTrace has been shipped by every major x86 PC OEM for decades UEFI-enabled "ARM PC" laptops are new for 2024 with ex-Apple Qualcomm/Nuvia/Oryon. Prior Arm-based devices did not provide UEFI runtime services for persistent manipulation of host operating systems. Windows 11 for Arm PCs was just released in November 2024. x86 PC platforms provide decades of history to compare OEM anti-theft policies.

unsnap_biceps 2y ago

Are you saying Apple x86 shipped with this? Or are you saying the T2 is equivalent?

walterbell 2y ago
T2 is exclusively under Apple control, without dependency on a third party (e.g. Intel, Management Engine, Absolute). The functionality of different T2 generations has been documented by Apple and security researchers. T2 included Activation Lock / Anti-Theft features.
- altairprime 2y ago
  So, to confirm: Apple has no involvement with LoJack / Absolute; but you’ve included them because .. they have a better-known anti-theft system?
  - walterbell 2y ago
    Apple implemented an anti-theft system under their own control, even when shipping x86 platforms. Any other x86 OEM could have done the same, instead of handing control to 3rd-party CompuTrace / LoJack / Absolute. As HP says in the document at the start of this sub-thread: If the [Absolute] product is currently enabled, the risk is someone else is in a position to lock the system, wipe the drive and/or retrieve files.
    - altairprime 2y ago
      > even when shipping x86 platforms Could you say more on why x86 a focus of your reply? Absolute is supported on ARM PC laptops as well, so it’s unclear how to interpret x86 here.
      - walterbell 2y ago
        Original comment said: > CompuTrace has been shipped by every major x86 PC OEM for decades UEFI-enabled "ARM PC" laptops are new for 2024 with ex-Apple Qualcomm/Nuvia/Oryon. Prior Arm-based devices did not provide UEFI runtime services for persistent manipulation of host operating systems. Windows 11 for Arm PCs was just released in November 2024. x86 PC platforms provide decades of history to compare OEM anti-theft policies.