Lock Your Computer Automatically with a USB Flash Drive Using Predator

I hate typing passwords, but I can't leave my office with my computer unsecured. I can't wait for the future, when my computer will recognize me and automatically log me in whenever I sit at my PC. For now, though, I've found the next best thing: a utility called Predator lets you lock your PC just by removing your USB flash drive.

Using Predator, you can treat your flash drive like a key to your PC -- insert it, and your desktop unlocks. Remove it, and your screen goes dark and doesn't allow anyone to use it. Don't worry -- if you lose your flash drive, it's not the end of the world. You specify a backup password you can always use to log back into your PC whether you have the flash drive or not.

Predator is convenient to configure -- you can use an existing flash drive and it won't damage any of the data you're already storing on it. It works with Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7, and it's free for personal use. If you want to use it "within an organization," though, the professional edition is $29.

Photo by Darwin Bell