Intel Anti-Theft (Intel AT)

Intel AT 3.0

Notebooks with the Intel processors Core iX (the code name - Sandy Bridge) and support of technology of protection against Intel Anti-Theft theft (Intel of AT) in case of plunder or loss can be blocked far off at the level of chips, having sent to the notebook the ciphered Sms on 3G of network. The announcement of the new Intel processors Core iX is expected on January 5, 2011^[1].

Similar function is provided by the version of Intel of AT 3.0. For sending the ciphered message for the notebook the user will need to contact technical support service. Remotely also earlier version of technology allowed to block the notebook using the ciphered message, however it gave the chance to send it to the stolen device only on LAN and a wireless network. Thus, remote blocking of the notebook was possible only in the presence of connection to the Internet.

The technology of Intel of AT provides also automatic blocking of the notebook which works if the "suspicious" behavior is detected. AT considers by like that Intel, for example, the exceeded number of attempts to log in and also lack of connection to network during the certain time frame. Intel of AT in addition ciphers the hard drive of the notebook to prevent access to important information in case of theft of the device.

After blocking the notebook falls into the "theft mode" mode ("is stolen"), and with it it becomes impossible to make any actions except how to sort on the spare part. At start of the computer the user sees only the screen with instructions how to return the notebook to the owner and as to unblock it. The text displayed on the screen in theft mode initially can be edited by the owner of the device. To unblock the notebook, the user needs most to enter the password or to receive the special code from technical support.

According to some experts, the new technology generates also new threats. So, the top analyst of Infowatch company Nikolay Fedorov notes that it can lead to unauthorized blocking of processors in not stolen notebooks, for example, used for the attacks, for copyright violation, for distribution of forbidden content, imported with customs offenses, accelerated illegally, etc.

And in case of leakage of secret key (the code, an algorithm) function, according to the expert, can be used for blocking for the purpose of obtaining the redemption or from hooligan motives.

In addition the technology of Intel gives new opportunities for business on "unblocking" and "recovery" and also creates the soil for legal collisions on intellectual property, about data protection, about malware, etc., Fedorov believes.

The marketing director of SecurIT company Alexey Kovalyov considers that interception and counterfeit of the SMS with a command about blocking of the notebook are theoretically possible, however hardly at the moment these risks should be regarded seriously.

"First, the contents of the SMS will be ciphered, secondly, for certain commands of blocking will be one-time, i.e., having even intercepted and having decrypted the text of the SMS, the malefactor will not be able to block the notebook or to erase on it some data", – Kovalyov says. Real risks of technology, according to him, will become known only in several years of its real use.

It should be noted that the idea of "murder" of the stolen notebook using the SMS is not new. So, in 2009 the Lenovo company provided several models of the ThinkPad notebooks equipped with the built-in WWAN adapters for work on the cellular networks. For blocking of the stolen notebook the owner needs to send a command for blocking of the device from the mobile phone.

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