Software for locking a laptop

EliaShim Safe Software has released an upgrade of its EasySafe laptop security software that can prevent unauthorized users from obtaining information from a stolen or unattended laptop computer.

EasySafe encrypts all data on the user's hard drive and also encrypts boot sectors and partitions to prevent unauthorized users from booting from the "A" drive and accessing the data on the hard disk. The encryption protects against the use of utility programs, such as Norton Utilities.

EasySafe can be configured to disable LPT, COM, and floppy ports to prevent an unauthorized user from transferring hard drive information to another system to be viewed later.

The software also includes a DOS/Windows screen saver that blanks the screen after a set period of inactivity. The only way to wake up the computer is to enter a password.

The potential market for such software is growing as more laptops are purchased, and stolen. According to the company, more than 208,000 notebooks with a value of $240 million were reported stolen in 1995.