Computrace /  Lojack on laptops - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 12:02:47 pm
content: That pile-o-laptops (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/list-your-test-equipment-score-here!/msg1189158/#msg1189158) has led to some interesting discoveries.For one thing, who has heard of Computrace / Lojack ?It's supposedly a persistent application intended to allow recovery of stolen laptops. Looking into it makes it sound not so altruistic.Where I found out it exists:http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2213357eddiesun posted 2014-Jan-24, 11:37 pm AEST O.P.Does anyone know to to reset or remove supervisor password for Lenovo S10s? the laptop that government gaveout to school kids years ago. is there other way other than remove backup battery?Now my cousin want to reinstall windows agian but got stuck with SVP.PookeyMasterposted 2014-Jan-27, 2:00 pm AESTIf the DER laptop still has a BIOS password then more than likely CompuTrace (the tracking software and chip) is still active.One of it's features is that the BIOS password is stored in the CompuTrace chip as well as the CMOS so that if it's deleted,it's instantly restored. Removing the battery won't do anything if CompuTrace is still active.Googling: computracehttp://techhelp.mcla.edu/index.php/Computrace_Softwarehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LoJack_for_Laptopshttp://www.freakyacres.com/remove_computrace_lojackHow to remove Computrace Lojackhttps://threatpost.com/millions-of-pcs-affected-by-mysterious-computrace-backdoor-2/107700/Millions of PCs Affected by Mysterious Computrace Backdoor August 11, 2014Kamluk described Computrace’s exploitability as follows:“The software is extremely flexible. It’s a tiny piece of code which is a part of the BIOS.As far as it is a piece of the BIOS, it is not very easy to update the software as often.So they made it very extensible. It can do nearly anything. It can run every type of code.You can do to the system whatever you want. Considering that the software is running on theselocal system privileges, you have full access to the machine. You can wipe the machine,you can monitor it, you can look through the webcam, you can actually copy any files,you can start new processes. You can do absolutely anything.”https://sourceforge.net/projects/computrace-lojack-checker/Computrace Lojack CheckerThis tool check for any presence of the Computrace / Lojack spyware.With this simple utility check if the Computrace / Lojack spyware is on your computer. It can add lines on yourhosts files to disable communications between your computer and the Computrace servers.Follow the detection method described athttp://korben.info/computrace-lojack-absolute.html(French. Includes looong list of affected laptops)So... around 2010-12 the Education dept was handing out free laptops to schoolkids, with remote camera spyware enabled.Because that's where these came from. Nearly 10 years old, obsoleted and disposed of (to me), but it seems they have it.My job is to remove it from the BIOS and everything else from the HDD, then see about giving most of them away. Looks like some will be going to Philippines. The Lenovo s10e are pretty nice. Absent the spyware.