MacBook Theft Tracking & Recovery Software – Hidden
Hidden is theft tracking software for Mac OS X that works to help you recover your stolen MacBook Pro (or MacBook Air, MacBook, and any other Mac OS X machine really). It works by laying dormant on your Mac until you visit the Hidden website and mark your computer as stolen, this then activates the tracking software. Once activated, Hidden starts gathering a slew of information on your missing Mac, including location plotted on Google Maps (see screenshot above), photos of the thief via the built-in iSight camera, screenshots of your Mac in use and what the thief is doing, IP addresses, and more.
After you can install the app, you can test out its efficacy yourself by using ‘Test Mode’ through their web control panel, this will give you an idea of the data collected and how the app works. Hidden reportedly works across the globe, so whether you’re in San Francisco or Budapest you’ll be able to get use out of the app.
To get the most out of Hidden, the developers recommend setting up and enabling a separate password free Guest account. While this is contrary to the usual Mac security recommendations, it makes sense here, because with Hidden running you actually want the thief to be using the computer so that you can gather information about them. With all this data captured, you can turn it over to local authorities to pursue the thief.
Now here’s the best part, Hidden is free to download and install until January, after which the price is a low $20.
Update: Apparently Hidden is no longer free, the developer was swarmed with requests and had to cancel the offer. If you are looking for a free anti-theft solution, try PreyProject.
Get Hidden for Mac OS X here for $20
Check out the video below to see how the app installs, works, and what it tracks:
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