Which one should you use?  Laptop tracking software or laptop encryption software?  It's a trick question, really.  You want both: one to protect data, one to recover your laptop.  But if I had to choose one, I would opt for the latter.  Mostly because my laptop happens to be covered by insurance, but my data isn't (meaning my life, pretty much.  Which is technically not covered by life insurance).  But I have to admit that tracking software gives you better stories.

According to dailyrecord.com, the theft of a laptop computer has led to a drug bust by the police.  The laptop was stolen from a student at Lehigh University.  The theft was reported to the police, and they tracked the laptop via the on-board anti-theft tracking system.  (There are two types of tracking technologies: one that uses technology similar to a car's LoJack and another that finds the computer's IP address when connected to the internet.  The latter obviously requires someone to get on-line with the stolen goods).

Once the police arrived on site, they noticed the use of drugs.  Furthermore, the computer was analyzed after recovery, and it turns out there was evidence of drug sales and drug activity on that computer (were these guys selling their wares on eBay?).  A search warrant was obtained based on that information and people were arrested.

This is a hell of a story.  And that's the problem with it: On the one hand it justifies this tracking technology.  On the other, it plants the seeds for its eventual ineffectiveness.  This story is bound to spread.  That's not a problem for LoJack-type technology, but, as far as I know, most laptop tracking services require the stolen computer to be connected to the internet, eventually.  As more laptops are recovered using similar methods, it's just a matter of time before thieves learn not to connect to the internet on stolen computers. 

So, if you have to choose between tracking software and encryption, which one do you choose?  What is your priority?  Hardware is hardware - a replacement can always be found.  But data…that's a little different.

Insurance aside, this is the true reason I use hard disk encryption solutions: There's plenty on my computer that I would hate other people having access to.  Tracking technology is great, when it works.  But even if it does work, there's no guarantee that my data will be protected while the police do their thing, as the story above clearly illustrates.

Related Articles:
http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20081226/UPDATES01/81226014