Warning: In Five Seconds, This PC Will Self-Destruct

Companies looking to protect sensitive data on stolen gadgets are taking a page from Hollywood, with hard drives that destroy themselves when picked up by a thief, software that remotely zaps documents from a desktop computer and technology that scrubs clean handheld devices when the wrong password is entered too many times.

The tools are attracting customers from Wall Street to Washington, D.C., who are willing to go to significant lengths to avoid data theft -- and the negative publicity that comes with it -- as new laws compel companies to more fully disclose breaches. "Those types of regulation are really driving corporations to say, 'What can I do to make sure I am in compliance?'" says Ben Haidri, vice president of business development and marketing at Absolute Software Corp., whose software includes a feature that remotely deletes private data.

Absolute Software asks users of its Computrace software to call a hotline to report a lost or stolen PC. If the customer is worried that sensitive data could get into the wrong hands, he can ask Absolute to wipe those files the next time the computer connects to the Internet. The wiping process involves overwriting all of the computer's data with random information several times, rendering the data unrecoverable. The process usually takes less than 10 minutes, Mr. Haidri says, but can last up to half an hour, depending on the amount of data to be removed. The Vancouver company says about 400,000 people -- including employees of 3,000 businesses -- use the software, which sells for about $100 per user for a three-year contract.

For customers who worry that a wily thief might stay away from the Internet, Absolute offers extra safeguards, like the option to delete files if a user fails to enter the correct password on a PC.

For more information about Absolute Software, visit www.absolute.com.