Providing the ability to remotely destroy data on stolen laptops, a leading innovator of theft recovery and data protection software, GadgetTrak®, has launched GadgetTrak® Search & Destroy™ for Windows®. The software, in addition to providing tracking information to recover the device, wipes sensitive data on the device complying with the US Department of Defense clearing and sanitizing standard DOD 5220.22-M to ensure that data is thoroughly and irrecoverably destroyed.

A recent study conducted by the Ponemon Institute found that 36% of data breaches were the result of lost and stolen laptops or other mobile devices costing companies $2.6 million dollars per incident. This number is expected to increase as the workforce becomes more mobile. In a separate study the Ponemon Institute found that 12,000 laptops are lost in US airports each week, 70 percent of which will not be recovered.

The owner of a laptop with GadgetTrak® Search & Destroy™ installed is stolen will automatically receive tracking information as the device changes location. Once activated, the owner can securely enable remote data destruction and an email is sent to the owner once the data wipe is verified. All personal information including passwords, cookies, application settings, emails, documents, photos and other information are wiped from the system.

Ken Westin, GadgetTrak® Founder and CTO, declared: "Every day we hear about laptops being stolen with sensitive information. For our corporate, government and health care customers the cost of a laptop being stolen is not the value of equipment, but the risks associated with data on the device, especially when customer and patient records are involved. Not only can we now track and recover the device revealing the thief's identity and device location, but also ensure that any data on the device is not compromised."

GadgetTrak® Search & Destroy™ works with Windows® 2000, XP, NT, 2003 and Vista. The software is designed to work in hostile network environments, is hidden on the system, tamper proof and cannot be removed without an administrative password.