In a bid to offer an
IT security solution for mobile computing professionals,
Ericsson is collaborating with Intel to ensure that its mobile
broadband modules are interoperable with the chip giant’s
Anti-Theft PC Protection Technology for notebooks.
The two companies are joining forces with the ultimate aim of
taking the profit out of stealing laptops whilst
protecting sensitive and important information. This threat has
continued to grow with the increased popularity of mobile computing
as devices become more affordable and mobile broadband packages
become more competitive.
Ericsson and Intel recognise that theft or loss of notebooks can
have enormous financial consequences for enterprise users,
especially when
sensitive data on the notebook is lost or obtained by unauthorised
persons.
Thus the two firms have constructed a theft management service
residing in the network can send a message via SMS to the mobile
broadband module inside the mobile computing device. This will
transfer securely the message to Intel's Anti-Theft function inside
the processor platform, which takes appropriate actions, such as
completely locking the computer by blocking the boot process,
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 working in conjunction with third-party encryption hardware or
software, the solution can also can protect data by deleting
cryptographic keys or similar essential code for decryption.
The anti-theft mechanism also builds on Ericsson's Mobile
Broadband Modules which are tightly integrated in and optimised for
notebooks. It can also be programmed to respond to repeated login
failures and expiration of a timer that requires regularly
scheduled connection to a central server. GPS-based location
functionality technology can be utilised to determine a theft
situation when the notebook is moved outside a pre-defined
area.
Commented Mats Norin, Vice President and head of Mobile
Broadband Modules at Ericsson, "[Our vision is to offer] enterprise
users a secure mobile broadband experience for their notebooks. We
are committed to work with industry leaders to shape a complete,
end-to-end solution to drive increased mobile broadband
adoption."
"We have entered a new era for security for the on-the-go
businessperson in which losing a notebook or having it stolen can
have disastrous implications," added George Thangadurai, director
of Intel's Strategy and Platform Planning Group, and general
manager of the company's Anti-Theft Program. "[Technolgy should
take] notebook security to a new level, making notebook theft for
profit an exercise in futility and with third-party software help
secure data."
The solution will be available in commercial data protection
products starting second half of 2009.
Find out more about
the latest mobile computing technology