Can stolen computers be traced directly through the Internet?

In summary: I know iPhones have the same tech too, with a number of people being caught with... :confused:What is "Hidden"?Hidden is a software application that allows users to track the movements of their computer via collecting network data and taking photos of the culprit and screenshots of the computer in use. It has been gaining a lot of publicity recently due to the success of a campaign run by the author to catch his stolen laptop.
  • #1
Loren Booda
3,125
4
Does a virtual "LoJack" for computers exist? By means of their informational nature, does not a computer trade data concerning their identity with whomever they come in contact with? Such a communication, if it exists, could put an eventual damper on hardware cybertheft.
 
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  • #2
if the computer has a network card there's alway the possibility of tracing it through the MAC address, which is unique to every network card out there. Not exactly a trivial task, but possible.

In order for a computer 'LoJack' system to be effective, the computer itself would have to connected to a network or be able to broadcast a signal somehow. It would have to be something that's integrated into hardware and not easy to remove (software can always be deleted).

Then someone would have to be able to detect the signal the stolen computer sends out. Locating it physically would be the next challenge. It's easy to tell if a computer is operating. Finding out where it's operating is the hard part.
 
  • #3
if the computer has a network card there's alway the possibility of tracing it through the MAC address

Well, you can always take the ethernet card out, or change the MAC address, Mac addys are administravely changeable
 
  • #4
You can basically do what lo-jack does by installing a GPS device and a becon into the computer. If the computer is stolen you activate the becon and the GPS device will allow you to locate the computer.
 
  • #5
unless you rip of/out the becon ;-)
 
  • #6
Not if it is built right into the motherboard.
 
  • #7
What's "lo-jack"? :confused:
 
  • #8
Nylex said:
What's "lo-jack"?
It is a beacon for your automobile that allows police to track and recover that automobile if you report it stolen. The name is a play on the word hijack.

http://www.lojack.com
 
  • #9
imabug said:
if the computer has a network card there's alway the possibility of tracing it through the MAC address, which is unique to every network card out there. Not exactly a trivial task, but possible.
A similar concept is the unique identifier now put on Intel chips. That was supposed to be for security purposes (internet ID theft deterrent) anyway.
 
  • #10
Ethernet ID

russ_watters said:
A similar concept is the unique identifier now put on Intel chips. That was supposed to be for security purposes (internet ID theft deterrent) anyway.

How is that possible? Can my stolen Mac mini being traced by that?

Thanks.
 
  • #11
Build a windows service that runs in the background, and at any time (like boot up) accesses a web page (a script) which logs information like IP, etc. I built such a service for my server, watch out. :)
 
  • #12
http://www.brigadoonsoftware.com/

this company setup something like u sent an email to their server eveytime u log on to internet and they can trace where u from.
 
  • #13
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2386305,00.asp"

No funny comments on necroposting either, hehe... and that includes you, Jimmy... this is a legitimate post.

The app is called Hidden. It functions by tracking the laptop's movements through collecting network data and taking photos of the culprit and screenshots of the computer in use.

Kaufman's laptop was stolen on March 21. He filed a police report with the Oakland Police Deparment that same day, and he began to use Hidden to collect photos and location data. Much to his dismay, there was little progress with his case.

Two months later on May 27, he launched a web campaign, This Guy Has My MacBook, via Tumblr. He updated his tumblelog with photos taken of who he suspected stole the laptop.

One of the images shows Albedashi with his shirt off in bed. Another shows Albedashi asleep on his couch. Kaufman cross-posted his Tumblr to Twitter on May 31 and picked up thousands of hits and tweets.

With the steady increase in popularity of his campaign and calls from several media outlets, Oakland police reopened the case. On May 31, Kaufman was contacted by Officer Holly Joshi that the police were moving forward with his case.

Undercover officers contacted Albedashi's taxi company and had them arrange a pickup for the suspect. Upon arriving at the location, Albedashi was arrested and the laptop was retrieved.

Kaufman concluded his campaign with, "ARRESTED! An Oakland police officer just called me to let me know that they arrested the guy in my photos! BOOYA!"

Nice to know such things exist, especially with students who fall victim to thieves in college and are tech savy, now, you have a way to protect yourselves and fight back.

Rhody... :smile:
 
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  • #14
rhody said:
Nice to know such things exist, especially with students who fall victim to thieves in college and are tech savy, now, you have a way to protect yourselves and fight back.

Rhody... :smile:

Macs have similar software that has gained a lot of publicity recently.

They track the computer and take pictures and a few reports have come in of people being arrested with it.

I know iPhones have the same tech too, with a number of people being caught with them.
 
  • #15
JaredJames said:
Macs have similar software that has gained a lot of publicity recently.

They track the computer and take pictures and a few reports have come in of people being arrested with it.

I know iPhones have the same tech too, with a number of people being caught with them.

Jared,

Isn't technology wonderful ?! Yep...

Rhody... :smile:
 
  • #16
I've always been curious why nobody implemented it earlier. Seems like a no brainer now it's here...
 
  • #17
There's a whole swack of device tracking software nowadays:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_device_tracking_software

The aforementioned PCPhoneHome is a rootkit that claims to be able to survive a format. LoJack resides in the BIOS / EFI.

Nevertheless, sufficiently persistent thieves could probably work around these issues. It'd make theft cost-prohibitive (maybe), but it's not impossible to overcome.
 
  • #18
rhody said:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2386305,00.asp"

No funny comments on necroposting either, hehe... and that includes you, Jimmy... this is a legitimate post.



Nice to know such things exist, especially with students who fall victim to thieves in college and are tech savy, now, you have a way to protect yourselves and fight back.

Rhody... :smile:
I saw this story this morning and got a good laugh. These recovery stories are becoming more common as the software becomes more popular. Here's one of the snapshots that came from the stolen laptop. :rofl:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/web/06/02/stolen.laptop.returned/index.html"

t1larg.thisguy.courtesy.jpg
 
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  • #19
Borg,

That is almost as good as one of Jimmy Synder's zingers, thanks... You just made my day and it hasn't started yet ! What an ugly little twerp of a thief too.

Rhody... :rofl:

P.S. Long ago, on any home laptop I use, if I want privacy at home, I put a piece of tape over the camera in the top of the laptop. Now you can see why, even for rightful owners, too bad I can't disable the built in microphone as well.
 
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  • #20
rhody said:
Borg,

That is almost as good as one of Jimmy Synder's zingers, thanks... You just made my day and it hasn't started yet ! What an ugly little twerp of a thief too.

Rhody... :rofl:

P.S. Long ago, on any home laptop I use, if I want privacy at home, I put a piece of tape over the camera in the top of the laptop. Now you can see why, even for rightful owners, too bad I can't disable the built in microphone as well.
Glad that you enjoyed it. He is pretty goofy looking.

Here's another stupid criminal but, the owner didn't need tracking software.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ts-leering-picture-owners-Facebook-page.html"

That's right. Not his own Facebook page but the victim's page. The picture should have included a sign saying please put me in jail.
 
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  • #21
If you have a Mac there are several applications for doing this that can even take pictures of the perp. It's a no-brainer. Plus similar are possible with iOS devices ("Where's my iPhone", etc. from Apple).

http://www.orbicule.com/undercover/mac/

http://hiddenapp.com/



http://thisguyhasmymacbook.tumblr.com/??
 
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  • #22
As I know after computer is stolen it continue to run common tasks: check for email, go to startup page when browser opens, etc.
And this activity is recorded to logs on mail server, startup page server, etc.
You (or police) can contact these companies and ask for these logs/records so you will get IP address and time of connection - which point to new user of computer...
 
  • #23
Sorry, how can a "beacon" give GPS data?
 
  • #24
I am thinking to build a .NET based windows application that can send MAC id and IP information along with keylogs to a personal email address.
I don't know how to take pics using webcam yet in .NET .

Btw, My friend lost his laptop recently :(.
 

1. Can stolen computers be traced directly through the Internet?

Yes, it is possible to trace stolen computers through the internet. However, it is not always a straightforward process and the success of the tracing depends on various factors such as the type of computer, internet connection, and the measures taken by the thief to hide their identity.

2. How can a stolen computer be traced through the Internet?

Stolen computers can be traced through the Internet using methods such as IP address tracking, GPS tracking, and remote access software. These methods rely on the computer being connected to the internet and the user not taking any steps to hide their identity.

3. Is it possible to trace a stolen computer if the thief uses a VPN?

Using a virtual private network (VPN) can make it more difficult to trace a stolen computer. A VPN creates a secure and encrypted connection between the computer and the internet, making it harder to track the IP address. However, with the right tools and techniques, it is still possible to trace a stolen computer even if the thief is using a VPN.

4. Can a stolen computer be traced if the hard drive is removed?

If the hard drive of a stolen computer is removed, it becomes much more difficult to trace. The tracking methods mentioned earlier rely on the computer being connected to the internet and having access to its IP address or GPS location. Without the hard drive, these methods may not be effective. However, there are other methods that can be used to track a stolen computer, such as serial number tracking.

5. What should I do if my computer is stolen?

If your computer is stolen, you should report it to the police and provide them with as much information as possible, such as the serial number, make and model, and any tracking software you may have installed. You should also contact your internet service provider and provide them with the MAC address of your computer, which can help in tracing it. Additionally, it is important to change all your passwords and inform your bank and other important accounts so they can monitor any suspicious activity.

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