Reader Joe writes (in part and edited): I am obsessed with security and am considering two notebooks, the HP dv6500t, which has a fingerprint scanner, and the HP dv6000t, which does not. Whichever one I choose, I want to protect it with Computrace LoJack for Laptops so it can be recovered if stolen.

If I were to purchase LoJack for the dv6500t, would it be less likely that my stolen laptop could be traced/found because the thief would not be able to boot into Windows (without my fingerprint), thus not connecting to the Internet and sending out a trace to Computrace's command center? 

If I got the dv6000t, this would not be an issue.  I really want to protect myself with LoJack, and I also love the idea of added security with fingerprint reading, but it seems as though the combination of the two might make it less likely that the notebook is recovered, especially if the thief swapped out the hard drive out of frustration in not being able to get into Windows. Your thoughts?

To start with, I spoke to Absolute Software, which makes the Computrace/LoJack line of products, to get its take. These comments come from Ben Haidri, a VP there:

Biometric authentication is an important security measure that helps with access control and authentication into a computer and is a key theft deterrent; it's also like having a lock on a door. It may help keep thieves away, but if they really want to gain access to the "kingdom" and the valuable contents inside—and have the knowledge or means to do so—they may be able to defeat fingerprint authentication by one of several means, including: re-installing the OS, booting to Linux, flashing the BIOS, or even by such simple techniques as overloading the biometric reader with a light source. If/when this happens, the machine will call out to Absolute's Monitoring Center and we will work with law enforcement to track and locate the stolen asset. As well, thieves sometimes will move a hard drive to another computer to avoid strong authentication techniques such as biometrics. In these cases, our agent will track and recover the drive in its new computer environment.

If the thief himself is "defeated" and can't crack the authentication, and is therefore unable to boot into Windows, he will most likely try to get rid of the computer as quickly as possible by selling it on a street corner or online. At some point, though, someone will probably get around the biometric feature and the machine will log onto the Internet and "call out" its location.

As a security-focused company, Absolute Software has always advocated defending in layers; and that's why I don't think it's a question of choosing biometrics OR LoJack for Laptops as the two technologies can be used effectively in parallel. Biometric security provides stronger user authentication and LoJack for Laptops gets lost or stolen computers back into the hands of their rightful owners.

That's a long answer to a long question, so let me sum up. Bottom line is yes, biometrics will interfere with LoJack, but biometrics are not infallible, and they can be defeated. That said, LoJack isn't infallible either. I would think that a hacker clever enough to bypass a fingerprint reader could also get around the LoJack system.

It should come down to which is more important to you: Are you worried more about losing the hardware or giving an unauthorized user access to the data on it? If the answer is the former, LoJack alone is probably your best bet. If the latter, either the fingerprint scanner or a combo of the scanner and LoJack would be the way to go. Not an easy choice, I know (who wouldn't want both of those things?), but it's one that only you can make.

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As an addendum to regular readers, this is my last post for a bit as I'll be on vacation for the next few days, returning on Wednesday evening (6/13) with more tech news and views.