Service To Remotely Wipe Data From Lost Laptops

Everdream Corp., a desktop management company, plans to launch a service "in the near future" that can delete sensitive files on lost or stolen laptops, remotely.

Pre-installed software would automatically locate and alert the machine to delete sensitive data the next time the laptop connects to Everdream's desktop management hosting service through the Internet.

Software, known as an "agent," communicates via the network every 15 minutes to Everdream's control center looking for new patches or virus updates. The same process also would allow the software maker to delete files.

Companies using the managed service, along with automated online backup would have immediate access to important data on the missing machine. "We're very interested in the new feature that would wipe company information from the drive," said Doug Harr, vice president of IT and operations at Portal Software Inc.

Portal Software, an Everdream customer since 2004, had a laptop with sensitive company data stolen from a car roughly 18 months ago. Executives never received evidence password-protected data was compromised, Harr said. But keeping PCs healthy, avoiding risk of virus attacks and breech of security remains top priorities.The monitoring service will likely take a place along the new suite Everdream rolled out Tuesday, according to Everdream chief marketing officer Ed Mueller. "Most of our customers are interested in getting systems in compliance, such as Sarbanes-Oxley," he said. "Keeping desktops protected, which isn't an easy task, is another."