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mrSuperEvening
Asked: 2021-05-08 06:30:17 +0800 CST

How can I protect against my laptop being stolen? Can it share its location?

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In case my laptop gets stolen, is it possible to use some kind of service or something that shares its location at all times? In other words, what to do against the thievery?

20.04

4 Answers

  1. Others had mention Prey (open source and freemium). You can also try Pombo. But your question is What to do against the thievery?. This is more broad.

    • Avoid being robbed
      • Use security/Kensington lock cable
      • Activate an alarm when stolen ("kill cord", pendrive or AC power removed). Something like BusKill (LAlarm or A.L.A.R.M. equivalent for Linux¹).
    • Avoid others access to your data
      • Full disk encryption LUKS: This and a backup are probably the best things to do. Hardware is replaceable, your data probably not.
      • Always lock your laptop (and use a strong password)
    • Get you laptop back
      • Engrave contact info so could reach you if it end on honest hands.
      • Prey/Pombo: Probably a little bit naive.
      • Add a RFID tag for tracking/SmartTag
      • Could be useful to save on a safe location your make, model and serial numbers (sudo dmidecode -s system-serial-number/-t chassis, lsblk --nodeps -no serial /dev/sda)

    ¹ Please comment for more/better alternatives.

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  2. You could use prey. Prey is a multi-platform tracking software that allows the tracking of up to three devices for free. It uses geolocation methodologies to track your device based on the IP of the connection that your set up device is using to access the internet, or the GPS sensor if your laptop has one.

    Of course any such service can only offer limited security on a laptop, irrespective of the operating system in use and comes with a privacy trade-off. A thief could always swap the drive..

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  3. Answer would depend on the laptop. For example if you had a Dell notebook with SIM card slot:

    ... You could theoretically program it to make a call on startup or resume.

    If you don't have a laptop with SIM card connected to broadband service this this article:

    Provides an overview of the six most popular anti-theft programs:

    • 01 – PreyProject | GPS / SpyCam | Free | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS
    • 02 – Hidden Anti Theft | GPS / SpyCam | Paid | macOS and iOS
    • 03 – Absolute DDS [ Enterprise ] | GPS | Windows, macOS, Android
    • 04 – Pombo [ Open Source ] | GPS | Windows, MmacOS, Android
    • 05 – Norton Mobile Security | GPS / SpyCam | iOS
    • 06 – DriveStrike | Locate / Encrypt | iOS / Android
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  4. full answer (and tutorial) for sharing PC GPS:

    • go to settigs/privacy/location and enable location services
    • install wayland (if you didn't installed/had built-in)
    • install anbox (it run only in wayland, so you needed to install that)
    • setup anbox kernel (just t be able to run app on that)

    now you have second system inside ubuntu. now we need to setup anbox to share location:

    • download android's app for sharing GPS (there are many, you choose what to take, i won't decide for you)
    • install and run app inside anbox. wifi, another networks and GPS should be immediately enabled on "android" as you enabled on PC, so just remember to NOT shutdown PC, cause it could kill anbox and this GPS sharer as you installed. :) PS: a good fix to be able to close laptop and prevent sleeping is installing and enabling caffeine. ;)
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