How to delete your files when your laptop gets stolen

by Jordan Running Feb 24th 2006

Over at Mac Geekery they've got a cool guide to making your laptop (in this case a Mac) delete your important files in the event that it's stolen. The meat of the thing is a shell script that periodically checks a remote web server for a file called "youve_been_stolen," and if it finds the file it quietly deletes the files in your home directory. You can also make it alert the new owner that it's stolen and any other shenanigans you can think up. This method could be extended pretty easily Windows, but you'll have to figure it out yourself. Just make sure you've got your important files backed up somewhere, 'cause you're even if you get your laptop back you won't be getting them.

Tags: delete, laptop, privacy, security, stolen, theft

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Joe Weaks said 7:47PM on 2-24-2006

A great "shenanigan" to add would be to have the script find every file whose modification date is later than the "date stole" found in the "youve_been_stolen" file and then email, ftp, or otherwise send those files to you for inspection. Might help in discovering the location/identity of the thief.

ube said 11:51AM on 2-25-2006

#1 hmm.. if you have the IP address of the remote host (which you get when you access the youve_been_stolen file) you just need to contact the police with that information.

However, a neat thing would be if the script starts sending the files to your webserver with a program like ncftpput and then delete it. Would save you the touble of having a backup of your files.

But then again, if you get your laptop stolen you're not too careful with it. ;)

cnt said 3:44AM on 2-26-2006

it's very good idea. in addition notebook can be record thief picture and send it police when the thief connect to internet :)

Fraid said 8:23AM on 2-27-2006

Of course this assumes that the thief does not format the hard-drive first.....

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