Stolen computer detection and protection

• US 6,725,379 B1
• Filed: 08/11/1999
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Dailey, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smithers, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US09/372,551
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 713/201, 713/200, 713/151, 713/155, 713/156, 713/157, 713/158, 380/270
• US Class Current: 726/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

A stolen computer detection and protection method and system. The method and system detect a communication to at least a first data processing system from at least a second data processing system. In response to detection of the communication from the at least a second data processing system, determination is made as to whether the at least a second data processing system is stolen. If it is determined that the at least a second data processing system is stolen, the at least a second data processing system is disabled.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a communication to at least a first data processing system from at least a second data processing system;

in response to said detecting, determining whether the at least a second data processing system is stolen; and

in response to said determining, disabling the at least a second data processing system when the at least a second data processing system is determined stolen wherein said disabling the at least a second data processing system further comprises disabling the at least a second data processing system by one or more actions selected from the group comprising changing the system password, changing the disk access password, erasing memory, erasing disk drive storage, encrypting data stored, and destroying at least one system component.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a medium of communication to which the at least a second data processing system has access; and

in response to said detecting, sending a checking-in message from the at least a second data processing system to the at least a first data processing system over the detected medium.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said detecting a medium of communication to which the at least a second data processing system has access further comprises:

detecting an inactive telephone line.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said detecting an inactive telephone line further comprises:

detecting a land line.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said detecting an inactive telephone line further comprises:

detecting a wireless connection.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said detecting a medium of communication to which the at least a second data processing system has access further comprises:

detecting an internet connection.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said detecting an internet connection further includes:

detecting a TCP/IP connection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting a communication to at least a first data processing system from at least a second processing system further includes:

detecting a checking-in message received via telephone.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said detecting a checking-in message received via telephone further includes:

detecting a checking-in message received via land-line telephone.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said detecting a checking-in message received via telephone further includes:

detecting a checking-in message received via wireless telephone.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting a communication to at least a first data processing system from at least a second processing system further includes:

detecting a checking-in message over an internet communication.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said detecting a checking-in message over an internet communication further comprises:

detecting a checking-in message over a TCP/IP connection.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining whether the at least a second data processing system is stolen further comprises:

determining a unique identifier for the at least a second data processing system; and

retrieving a status associated with the unique identifier from the database.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said retrieving a status associated with the unique identifier from the database further comprises:

retrieving a status, associated with the unique identifier from the database, from the group comprising status stolen and status okay.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said disabling the at least a second data processing system when the at least a second data processing system is determined stolen further comprises:

sending from the at least a first data processing system to the at least a second data processing system a disable-yourself message selected from the group comprising change system password message, change disk dive password message, erase memory message, erase disk drive message, encrypt data message, and destroy data message.

16. An apparatus comprising:

means for detecting a communication to at least a first data processing system from at least a second data processing system;

means, responsive to said detecting, for determining whether the at least a second data processing system is stolen; and

means, responsive to said determining, for disabling the at least a second data processing system when the at least a second data processing system is determined stolen wherein the means for disabling the at least a second data processing system further comprises a means for sending from the at least a first data processing system to the at least a second data processing system a disable-yourself message selected from the group comprising change system password message, change disk dive password message, erase memory message, erase disk drive message, encrypt data message, and destroy data message.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

means for detecting a medium of communication to which the at least a second data processing system has access; and

means, responsive to said detecting, for sending a checking-in message from the at least a second data processing system to the at least a first data processing system over the detected medium.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said means for detecting a medium of communication to which the at least a second data processing system has access further comprises:

means for detecting an inactive telephone line.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said means for detecting an inactive telephone line further comprises:

means for detecting a land line.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said means for detecting an inactive telephone line further comprises:

means for detecting a wireless connection.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said means for detecting a medium of communication to which the at least a second data processing system has access further comprises:

means for detecting an internet connection.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said means for detecting an internet connection further includes:

means for detecting a TCP/IP connection.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for detecting a communication to at least a first data processing system from at least a second processing system further includes:

means for detecting a checking-in message received via telephone.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means for detecting a checking-in message received via telephone further includes:

means for detecting a checking-in message received via land-line telephone.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means for detecting a checking-in message received via telephone further includes:

means for detecting a checking-in message received via wireless telephone.

26. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for detecting a communication to at least a first data processing system from at least a second processing system further includes:

means for detecting a checking-in message over an internet communication.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said means for detecting a checking-in message over an internet communication further comprises:

means for detecting a checking-in message over a TCP/IP connection.

28. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for determining whether the at least a second data processing system is stolen further comprises:

means for determining a unique identifier for the at least a second data processing system; and

means for retrieving a status associated with the unique identifier from the database.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said means for retrieving a status associated with the unique identifier from the database further comprises:

means for retrieving a status, associated with the unique identifier from the database, from the group comprising status stolen and status okay.

30. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for disabling the at least a second data processing system when the at least a second data processing system is determined stolen further comprises:

means for disabling the at least a second data processing system by one or more actions selected from the group comprising changing the system password, changing the disk access password, erasing memory, erasing disk drive storage, encrypting data stored, and destroying at least one system component.

31. A program product comprising:

means for detecting a communication to at least a first data processing system from at least a second data processing system;

means, responsive to said detecting, for determining whether the at least a second data processing system is stolen;

means, responsive to said determining, for disabling the at least a second data processing system when the at least a second data processing system is determined stolen wherein said means for disabling comprises a means for disabling the at least a second data processing system by one or more actions selected from the group comprising changing the system password, changing the disk access password, erasing memory, erasing disk drive storage, encrypting data stored, and destroying at least one system component; and

signal bearing media bearing said means for detecting, means for determining, and means for disabling.

32. The program product of claim 31, wherein said signal bearing media further comprises:

recordable media.

33. The program product of claim 31, wherein said signal bearing media further comprises:

transmission media.

34. The program product of claim 31, further comprising:

means for detecting a medium of communication to which the at least a second data processing system has access; and

means, responsive to said detecting, for sending a checking-in message from the at least a second data processing system to the at least a first data processing system over the detected medium.

35. The program product of claim 34, wherein said means for detecting a medium of communication to which the at least a second data processing system has access further comprises:

means for detecting an inactive telephone line.

36. The program product of claim 35, wherein said means for detecting an inactive telephone line further comprises:

means for detecting a land line.

37. The program product of claim 35, wherein said means for detecting an inactive telephone line further comprises:

means for detecting a wireless connection.

38. The program product of claim 34, wherein said means for detecting a medium of communication to which the at least a second data processing system has access further comprises:

means for detecting an internet connection.

39. The program product of claim 38, wherein said means for detecting an internet connection further includes:

means for detecting a TCP/IP connection.

40. The program product of claim 31, wherein said means for detecting a communication to at least a first data processing system from at least a second processing system further includes:

means for detecting a checking-in message received via telephone.

41. The program product of claim 40, wherein said means for detecting a checking-in message received via telephone further includes:

means for detecting a checking-in message received via land-line telephone.

42. The program product of claim 40, wherein said means for detecting a checking-in message received via telephone further includes:

means for detecting a checking-in message received via wireless telephone.

43. The program product of claim 31, wherein said means for detecting a communication to at least a first data processing system from at least a second processing system further includes:

means for detecting a checking-in message over an internet communication.

44. The program product of claim 43, wherein said means for detecting a checking-in message over an internet communication further comprises:

means for detecting a checking-in message over a TCP/IP connection.

45. The program product of claim 31, wherein said means for determining whether the at least a second data processing system is stolen further comprises:

means for determining a unique identifier for the at least a second data processing system; and

means for retrieving a status associated with the unique identifier from the database.

47. The program product of claim 31, wherein said means for disabling the at least a second data processing system when the at least a second data processing system is determined stolen further comprises:

means for sending from the at least a first data processing system to the at least a second data processing system a disable-yourself message selected from the group comprising change system password message, change disk dive password message, erase memory message, erase disk drive message, encrypt data message, and destroy data message.

46. The program product of 45, wherein said means for retrieving a status associated with the unique identifier from the database further comprises:

means for retrieving a status, associated with the unique identifier from the database, from the group comprising status stolen and status okay.