How to Use Lockdown to Secure a Macintosh Notebook Computer

Heading out into the world with your MacBook Pro could be a hazardous affair. Libraries, coffee shops, workplaces and schools can easily become scenes of a notebook computer theft without the proper precautions. Using the newer Mac notebook computer built-in iSight and the Internet, Lockdown is able to alert you to theft, and if someone has stolen your MacBook it will take a picture of the thief and send it to your email address. Lockdown will also sound an alarm based on several triggers including motion and removal of the power adapter. Here is how to secure your MacBook.

Things You'll Need

• Apple MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air running latest version of Mac OSX
• Lockdown
• Email address set up in Apple's Mail.app
• Apple Remote

Instructions

1. 

   Download and install Lockdown (see Resources below for free download).

2. 

   Launch Lockdown. No window will pop up, but a lock icon will appear on the upper right-hand of your screen on the menu bar.

3. 

   Click the lock icon and select "Preferences" to set up Lockdown on your Macintosh Notebook Computer.

4. 

   Move the slider under "Alarm Duration" to set how long you want the alarm to go off when Lockdown is tripped.

5. 

   Move the slider beneath "Motion Sensitivity" to set how sensitive you want Lockdown to be to movement.

6. 

   Select your desired "Trigger Options" by clicking on the options you want.

   You can select motion sensor, trackpad/mouse, keyboard, lid close, external devices or MagSafe adapter as your triggers. The MagSafe adapter is the power adapter on the newer Macintosh Notebook Computers.

7. 

   Click the iSight tab.

8. 

   Click "Take an iSight Snapshot" and "E-Mail Snapshot" and type in your email address to tell Lockdown to take a photo and email it when the alarm sounds. This will require a functional email address that's set up in Apple Mail.

9. 

   Click on the Settings tab.

10. Click the "Enable Lockdown From Menu Icon" if you want to be able to set the alarm using the lock menu icon at the top right of your screen; otherwise you'll have to use your Apple remote.

11. Select the "Edit Or Create a Password" button to set a password that will disable the alarm if you enable Lockdown from the Menu icon.

12. Click "Check For Updates On Start-Up" so you don't have to manually check for updates.

13. Close the Preferences window.

14. 

    Hold down the Menu button on your Apple remote until you hear a chirp like the one you hear when you remotely lock a car. This will enable Lockdown and bring up a splash screen. To disable Lockdown, hold down the Menu button on the Apple Remote until you hear two chirps.

Tips & Warnings

• It is highly recommended that you use only the Apple remote to enable and disable Lockdown.

Resources

• Download Lockdown