Intel working on anti-theft chip for laptops

Data protection is important for consumers, so companies like Intel are focusing on technology that would keep sensitive information from getting into the wrong hands. Details are sketchy, but according to The Register, Intel's Mobility Group chief, Dadi Perlmutter, said the company is working on a new chip that would render lost notebooks useless without the owner's permission.

Intel's Anti-Theft Technology (ATT) would ensure stolen laptops are not bootable by anyone but the owner, which would also prevent thieves from accessing the computer's contents. Some thieves may try to get around this by replacing the laptop's hard drive, but the computer itself will remain useless because this technology appears to be tied into the operating system's login process. Intel hopes this will eventually deter laptop theft all together.

Tracking a lost or stolen laptop is nearly impossible, so Perlmutter said Intel also wants to incorporate tracking technology into ATT, and is already looking at some options. Companies such as Lenovo, Fujitsu, McAfee, and others are working with Intel to bring ATT to the market by the end of this year.

Like I said, details are still sketchy regarding ATT, so we'll have to wait to find out how exactly this technology will work.