Phoenix Technologies Ltd. announced Phoenix FailSafe for mobile PCs. With FailSafe, Phoenix PC OEM partners can embed an innovative command and control system into the PC core firmware to track, control and recover lost or stolen mobile PCs. Through an intuitive, easy-to-use Web interface, Phoenix FailSafe delivers a comprehensive range of theft-loss prevention and protection features. For consumers and professionals alike, FailSafe prevents identity theft through the ability to protect, locate and potentially retrieve lost or stolen PCs, remotely retrieve critical data, permanently erase sensitive personal or business information and even lock or completely disable the computer remotely.

    Users can encrypt, lock and even destroy data on lost laptops to protect sensitive or private information. Information on the laptop can also be encrypted to prevent data theft resulting from stolen laptops. As a result, consumers, small business owners and IT managers can remotely manage mobile PCs, much like mobile phones are managed, through an intuitive Web interface.

    Leading industry analyst and mobile PC futurist, Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies said, "By making it easier to track, recover and remotely control portable PCs, Phoenix FailSafe typifies the type of solution needed to provide the peace of mind and protection to advance the mobile PC category including UMPCs and MIDs. This degree of security ensures that the personal and private information stored on these powerful but mobile and convenient devices, remains protected, even in the event that the device is lost or stolen."

    "According to the FBI, fewer than five percent of stolen laptops are ever recovered, which is why the embedded protection of Phoenix FailSafe is so critical," said Woody Hobbs, President & CEO of Phoenix Technologies. "With more than 25 years of BIOS and core firmware design experience, the Phoenix engineering team is uniquely qualified to integrate this degree of remote management and security functionality at the firmware level on the PC. Backed by the Phoenix global support infrastructure, FailSafe allows PC OEMs to offer a premium service for their consumers and small business customers, solving a critical business problem, while gaining a recurring revenue stream that will last long after the original sale of the mobile PC."

    "Intel is very focused on making mobile computing secure," said Mooly Eden, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Intel's Mobile Platforms Group. "We have already enabled mobile data protection solutions with leading data encryption software vendors today and will in future further harden it with Danbury, a hardware-based disk encryption. Phoenix FailSafe furthers our objectives by adding laptop tracking and theft management features that offer consumers a way to achieve increased asset security and control. This will enable owners to remotely locate, and control lost or stolen laptops."

    Because FailSafe is embedded into the core firmware layer, it cannot be deleted or disabled through the operating system, ensuring its data encryption and remote management protection is constantly available and functioning. FailSafe is able to offer a superior level of protection due to its tight integration with the hardware security mechanisms in a system.