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Called absolute persistence technology by one of the providers, they say they
can send an SMS for immediate lock functionality.
http://www.absolute.com/en/partners/alliances/intel
With Intel Anti-Theft, Absolute customers can:
"Trigger an Intel Anti-Theft lock using real-time technology within the
Absolute Customer Center, sending an SMS message to the computer and invoking
the Intel Anti-Theft lock almost immediately. To take advantage of this
SMS-only immediate lock functionality, you will require Intel Anti-Theft
supported hardware (Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 notebooks)."
How it works
Hardware
"The first step is hardware-based and occurs before the device
is even built. Through our partnership with computer
manufacturers, the persistence module is built into the
firmware of desktop, laptop, tablet, and smart phone
devices around the world. Each device leaves the factory
with the persistence module in place, waiting to be
activated."
http://www.absolute.com/en/partners/bios-compatibility
(Note that even the 7 year old Lenovo X series, considered to be close to
free computers, are BIOS and firmware capable for the use of this system.)
Software
"This occurs when the software agent is installed. It’s the step that turns
everything on and it’s through this agent that device information is
transmitted to IT so they can remotely track, manage, and secure devices."
Persistence
"Even if the firmware is flashed, the device is re-imaged, the hard drive is
replaced, or if a tablet or smart phone is wiped clean to factory settings,
the agent will simply reinstall and continue to provide hundreds of data
points for each device. And it’s a two-way street. The same connection can
be used by IT to convey a variety of remote security and management commands
back to the device."
"We’ve provided forensic evidence to close to 5,000 law
enforcement members around the world, allowing them to recover over 28,000
stolen devices and put countless criminals behind bars"
http://www.absolute.com/en/resources/whitepapers/absolute-persistence-technology
So, this technology is in the hardware. In a lot of hardware. It needs
software to activate it. Many chips now allow installing software remotely
even if the computer is powered down, it can be turned on and updated. Not
saying this is happening all over the place, it just feels quite out of
control to be the owner of a device and be unable to have complete say over
what is to be done with it.
If alerted to the intent for some control to be added over the machine, that
would be one thing. To have the capability to alter the machine without the
owner knowing, is not something I wish to pay for or own.
These controls make sense in a corporate or government setting, but for
personal use, how can one be sure these features are permanently turned off
or rendered useless? These are "known" backdoors. What if we can't be certain
they are closed? What about unknown backdoors. It doesn't end.
