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Track your Stolen Mac via the Internet

orbicule.com — In case of theft, Undercover not only reveals the internet location of your Mac, it also transmits screenshots, enabling you to closely monitor your stolen Mac.

Who dugg this? Made popular Jan 18, 2006

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  • cboyack, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9sofa0ne: you set your firmware password - http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/openfirmwarepassword.html - and then they can't boot from a CD or anything like that without your permission :) Right on...
  • jpbleuu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2nice so if your 2000 dollar mac gets stolen and can't be returned using this software you will get your 30 dollars back! how could you not pass that up!
  • Zippygoose, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2When will you find these guys? I
    mean, do you have any promising leads?

    Leads, yeah. I'll just check with
    the boys down at the Crime Lab.
    They've assigned four more detectives
    to the case, got us working in shifts!
  • b04155, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Who wouldn't completely reformat a stolen laptop or computer?
  • mrbinary, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"I read a story about someone who was able to track their stolen laptop (a Mac as well) because they had remote access enabled and something that sent the IP address somewhere."

    In 2002 there was a story of a guy using Timbuktu, a remote management program, on a stolen iMac. He was able to log in and manually delete sensitive files. He also installed a "death script," an AppleScript made to render the computer unusable. Unfortunately the thief found the script and disabled it, but still was not aware of Timbuktu running.

    The thief then changed ISPs, installing AOL. Here's the really cool part: the owner was able to remotely insert a modified AOL connection file into the stolen computer, causing it to dial his home number. He received 15 calls from an unknown number and turned it over to the police. They recovered the iMac.

    Here's the entire usenet discussion as the events were happening:
    http://web.archive.org/web/20020125164039/http://www.macscripter.net/unscripted.html
  • hankosky, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3""Money-back guarantee (x2)

    We are so confident that Undercover will enable us to recover your Mac that we offer you two money-back guarantees. If we can not recover your stolen Mac, we will fully refund Undercover (1). Of course we still offer our traditional money-back guarantee: if you are not satisfied with Undercover, you will get a full refund within 30 days of purchase. No questions asked.""


    So what about the lost mac? are they gonna replace that?
  • capn_caveman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I think that feature that simulates a hardware failure is completely garbage. What I see happening is that a thief with even half a brain would not send that laptop to get it serviced because that thief knows that the laptop is stolen. The most likely scenario in my opinion is that the thief would chuck that stolen laptop into the garbage and go find another one to steal.
  • iSEPIC, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1^^ what they do is sell the stolen laptop to someone (like on ebay or craigslist) then that poor sap gets the wrath - besides, I called applecare and they don't track stolen machines :(
  • neutrino, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1My powerbook got stolen a few months ago, and I had a membership to last.fm which uploads all of the music that you listen to with iTunes. I looked at my account a few weeks later and it was full of music that I'd never listened to...I contacted the guys there and they hooked me up with the ip. Now, yeah, they've got 'em workin in shifts....

    But - point is, it proves that my computer was not reformatted, no software was even removed.
  • bbatsell, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I realize this story is 8 months old, but I just stumbled upon this comment and wanted to correct it. An OpenFirmware password is NOT similar to a BIOS password on Windows PCs. It is not required to start up the machine; it is required to change the startup disk, whether to another hard drive or an OS X boot CD with which one could reformat the hard drive or reset the administrator password.
  • ucg1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I read a story about someone who was able to track their stolen laptop (a Mac as well) because they had remote access enabled and something that sent the IP address somewhere. They actually went to the person's house (probably someone who bought it from the thief) and asked for it back and got it back.

    All you really need to do is have VNC or some form of remote access and a script that pings somewhere that logs the IP addresses.
  • whizzbang, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2They should take a photo of the thief with the built in iSight and mail it to you! Or to www.Istealcomputers.com or some such
  • energyblue, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2This is excellent!
    But i can't think of anyone stealing my crappy eMac
    But i can see the great potensal!
    +DIGG
  • mrbinary, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"I read a story about someone who was able to track their stolen laptop (a Mac as well) because they had remote access enabled and something that sent the IP address somewhere."rnrnIn 2002 there was a story of a guy using Timbuktu, a remote management program, on a stolen iMac. He was able to log in and manually delete sensitive files. He also installed a "death script," an AppleScript made to render the computer unusable. Unfortunately the thief found the script and disabled it, but still was not aware of Timbuktu running.rnrnThe thief then changed ISPs, installing AOL. Here's the really cool part: the owner was able to remotely insert a modified AOL connection file into the stolen computer, causing it to dial his home number. He received 15 calls from an unknown number and turned it over to the police. They recovered the iMac.rnrnHere's the entire usenet discussion as the events were happening:rnhttp://web.archive.org/web/20020125164039/http://www.macscripter.net/unscripted.html
  • RyeBrye, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Can Undercover be uninstalled by a thief?"
    For a thief, uninstalling Undercover is impossible. You can only uninstall Undercover if you know the Administrator password for the given mac.

    Unless they have their firmware password set this is not very hard to do. Just boot up from the OS X install disk and reset their administrator and root passwords.
  • teh_toaster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1For people without a mac: http://www.absolute.com/
  • sofa0ne, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3I don't know if it crossed anybodies mind that a thief can and will most likely format the machine after grabbing any useful data on it. Unless this program is writing something to a chip that's in the computer. I see too many holes for the security that this is offering.

  • kweber103, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Additionally, your Mac will start shouting at the highest volume level, using its built-in text-to-speech capabilities."
    I can see this, some one using the laptop and then the mac shouting
    "THIS MAC IS STOLEN!, THIS MAC IS STOLEN!"
  • raano, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1A waste of $30. A firmware password can be gotten around if they have physical access to the machine, well duh, if they stole it they have access. They'll reset the firmware password, reformat the drive, and presto--another EBay auction. A better solution is to don't let your laptop out of sight, and make sure your homeowner policy will cover it if it's stolen.
  • oepapel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"BTW, yes I bet most "druggie" houses have a PC in the house somewhere (this IS 2006) and hence an XP cd."

    The first thing that a "druggie" would sell for drugs would be their laptop so I would bet you wouldn't find one especially in a crack house.

    Also, the "fence" can be anyone: you or me or the guy across the street. Well, not me. It's just a person that is not encumbered by personal ethics or else can set them aside in the pursuit of money. They are in all walks of life and in every social stratum. To think that they do not have the same information or at least access to the same information is laughable at best.

    Think of it this way...

    Law enforcement is most successful at capturing the least successful criminals. Every year they cull the weak from the criminal herd. What remains is a better, smarter, more resilient and successful criminal. One of the keys to success in most endeavours is knowledge. Especially knowledge that keeps them anonymous and less likely to get caught. To this end, it is in their best interest to find out as much as they can about their craft. A fence that specializes in jewellery probably won't accept a laptop but one that specializes in electronics would definitely keep up to date on their area of expertise. It's their bread and butter, after all. Not to mention their ass if they get caught. It's a powerful motivator to become an expert.
  • vannyx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Its really trouble to see how much thieves are underestimated as being idiots. Its quite the opposite. The real idiot is the one that underestimates the thief. That tech at the authorized apple repair shop could supply his theiving friends with the information they need to find you and lift your book without you even realizing it. Thieving is an art and not one taken up by idiots. The only idiot that would fence a notebook for 20 dollors is a crack head and they are totally different animals, they do break ins , they do robberies and they will take everythign you have and sell it all for 20 dollors, dont confuse a crackhead and a thief, if you do then chances are you wont know you been had til its too late. Best way to keep your notebook safe when your out, keep it in your sight, dont leave it alone, and zip it up in a bag.
  • Antelope, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Damn-why does the hand in the header pic gotta be black, yo?
  • topper24hours, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"I don't know if it crossed anybodies mind that a thief can and will most likely format the machine after grabbing any useful data on it."

    Oh you upper-middle class kids are soooo *cute*! You've never seen crime... that's so adorable it makes me sick! Ummm..... most thieves are brainless dope fiends who only try to get a $20 bill for stolen electronics. If you have the the tech tools/skills to reload OSX after formatting the drive you PROBABLY not a common scum thief! (generally speaking).
  • iKato, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yeah, like someone else said, even if you set an open firmware password, just replace the ram, restart, hold down apple+option+P+R (I think) and the program's useless.

    Good idea though. I'll digg it in hopes that theives won't know what they're doing.
  • bloqmon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Additionally, your Mac will start shouting this message, asking to return it as soon as possible." Nice touch. ^^ +digg
  • screwball, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1After some Googling, it seems that its not too difficult at all to remove the firmware password. And it is safe to assume most of the people knowing how to use a computer will know Google.

    I am going to have to agree with previous posters: Snake oil.
  • inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It's pretty obvious that most Diggers have no idea (even though they think they do) what happens when someone steals a laptop.

    95%+ of the time, the thief is not massively computer literate (as most of us are) and generally tends to only know the general value of the machine (ie: what they can sell it for). They will then merely take the laptop to an area where they can sell it with no questions asked (college campus, etc) for pure profit. They don't give a damn what data's on the machine...they only care how much money they can make selling it.
  • pubard, on 04/25/2008, -0/+1there's also this new alternative, vigimac. and it's free...

    http://www.vigimac.com
  • chosenone-, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Plan B is even better

    If recovery of the stolen Mac fails for any reason, Undercover has an ingenious plan B. In this mode, Undercover will simulate a hardware failure, gradually making the Mac's screen unusable. This erratic behaviour will be accompanied by a Mac OS X system message stating that a hardware failure has been detected. All this should urge the thief to bring the Mac to an authorized Apple reseller. At that point, Undercover will show a full-screen message alerting the reseller (or someone who bought the Mac from the thief) that the Mac has been stolen, that it has become unusable and that it needs to be returned as soon as possible. Our contact information and a promise for a finder's fee will be displayed as well. Additionally, your Mac will start shouting this message, asking to return it as soon as possible.

    Now that's ***** up. 1) How do you set Plan B on? 2) How many computers promise a finder's fee for broken hardware? Apple isn't THAT great at hardware. 3) Open Firmware. ***** this *****.
  • hiro, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Very funny, I wonder how many people have seriously believed this? ; )
  • lefthandhugh, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The one time I had my laptop stolen was by someone who hadn't a clue wat to do. They never got past my login screen. And consequently, the cops called me up when they picked it up. I had hte password hint set to display "$$$ for return of this laptop - call (my phone number)". I'm sure there are smarter thieves than this one, but it seems like this is meant for use against casual theft, not brilliant masterminds.
  • crapiolio, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0If they are SO confident about their software, they should pay at least 50% the cost of the lost Mac that their software never recovered. I don't trust it.
  • Shadowsnake, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Heh, i would like a windows tracker thing!
  • gwjc, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0> jawa:
    Yeah okay dude, maybe they really aren't smart enough to disable the program.. but lets say they're at least smarter than someone who would brag about theft and vandalism in a public forum :)

    P.S.:(don't worry d00d, I/we know you were joking)
  • JAWA, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0So someone is smart enough to crack the log-in password, but not smart enough to disable this program, or maybe format the machine. When I steal macs, I just smash them with a sledge, its more fun.
  • MSIGuy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Their guarentee only says they'll recover your Mac, they don't say anything about the condition it'll be in once/if you get it back.
  • sofa0ne, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"Its really trouble to see how much thieves are underestimated as being idiots."
    I couldn't echo this loud enough!
  • Stonekeeper, on 10/12/2007, -0/+01. Get undercover macs to ping you
    2. Steal them
    3. Pay out 2x price of undercover
    4. Sell macs
    5. ......
    6. Profit!!!!!!!
  • penguindude15, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I don't think my laptop will get stolen but this is a nice cool app just in case. I wish that they could do something like this for your purchased itunes music. So, if someone gets some and gets your password, you could shut them down and deauthorize their computer for only your account though. I don't think that would be legal but it would be cool.
  • NSXROX, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Can you turn on the iSight camera and see who's using your stolen iMac?
  • Akram, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0if your mac does get stolen, and this method doesn't work please don't go an sue the company, cos i know many of you have that as your "plan b".
  • topper24hours, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Oh.... ok - so if the thief's buyer/fence has broadband and uses bit torrent and is hep to some Mac sites you're saying they could just d/l a copy of OSX? Hahahahahahahahahaahah! Ummm.... I think if they had to go to this kinda trouble they'd pass on said notebook. BTW, yes I bet most "druggie" houses have a PC in the house somewhere (this IS 2006) and hence an XP cd.
  • oepapel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"See many OSX cds at the local crack dealers?"

    See many Windows XP cds? Didn't think so. This argument is useless.

    And guess what... there are pirate copies of OS/X running around the internet right now! Or they could just steal a copy. Hell, if they got the laptop and the bag, the restore CD might be tucked in there as well. I know lots of travellers that include it just in case their laptops die out in the field. Some companies even recommend it!

    Since OS/X CD's are not protected, it's trivial to make bootleg copies. This is not going to stop anybody.
  • cantaclaro, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0http://www.rufy.com/laptop.pdf

    This is from the Fall 2004 2600: Hacker's Quarterly.

    Better article, because the guy goes more indepth.
  • battybattybatt, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0...U need a password to boot from cd, boot as target, boot into single user mode, reset pram, and pretty much any other key command on boot up. ALSO since this is in the FIRMWARE swapping out the drive won't do anything except get rid of the anti theft software. u still have a dud. I think there may be a way of resetting the firmware password internally but i'm not sure.


    posted by OandA (0) at 10...

    Nope. There is the Control-P-Alt-X bootup key-combo (yes you actually have to push the power button with your toe!) that will let you re-install the OS, completely by-passing the Open PW, and when you are through installing the OS, before rebooting, you are asked if you would like to SET THE MACHINE PASSWORD ? Of course, being a smart thief you say, No. If you say Yes, you still need the OLD PW, but if No, the PW is reset to null upon the reboot sequence! This works on G3 Duals and up.
  • Callaway7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@ rderveloy

    DeepFreeze is fairly good for Windows, OK for MAC. There are programs out that will unfreeze any computer, Faronics has done jack about it. Also, if they can boot to a CD-Rom, they can reformat.
  • battybattybatt, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"...another EBay auction. A better solution is to don't let your laptop out of sight, and make sure your homeowner policy will cover it if it's stolen...."

    eBay has been onvestigating reported serial numbers on electronic devices since day 1 ! You're computer/camera/device isnt approved until the S/N reported by you comes up "cold".
  • battybattybatt, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0In our data theft class, most thieves that steal laptops, chuck the HD, and sell the shell w/o HD to a pawnshop - w/o the HD, the pawnshop is not liable for data theft, but they will usually check the SN on a list, however, fi tee is no HD to run "hiden" software then nothing gets reported, other thatn the laptop SN formn the Police Report confrmed by the original owner.

    What Apple should do - as what Dell and Gateway having been doing for years with their asset management chip - hardcode a chip that must stay intact in order for proper boot sequencing. Then, once a clean HD is re-installed into the stolenmachine, the theif or recipient of said stolen good would have nothing on their hands but a stolen, non-bootable, door stop.
  • e3mw, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Zippy: Nice Lebowski segway ;)
  • frem001, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0i thought you need an admin password to format os x even with the install disks. some review site should test the service and see how easy or difficult it might be to override it (for someone without an admin password). Hopefully a review will pop up somewhere. wasn't there a case in the uk where a mac user had software that used his isight for motion detection and took pictures of the thief and transmitted it via email, he was caught in the end
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