Absolute Helps Police Break Possible Identity Theft Ring

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools computer recovery leads police to more than
just stolen computers

WASHINGTON, June 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Today at the National Education
Computing Conference (NECC), Absolute(R) Software Corporation ("Absolute" or
the "Company") (TSX: ABT), the leading provider of firmware-based, patented,
computer theft recovery, data protection and secure IT asset management
solutions announced a successful computer theft recovery investigation for
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). The computer theft recovery case resulted
in the arrest of alleged identity thieves and immigration law violators.
It was unquestionably a change of pace for CMS law enforcement officers: an
early-morning raid on a crowded trailer that involved federal agents, guns,
bullet-proof vests, a pry bar and a battering ram. It was also a successful
operation. When the raid was over, a stolen CMS laptop that had brought
officers to the trailer had been safely recovered.
"No one got hurt and we got our computer back. We're happy about that," said
Jim Smallridge, a detective with the CMS Law Enforcement Department who took
part in the raid near Berryhill Elementary earlier this year.
The circumstances were unusual but the outcome wasn't. Thanks to the diligence
of CMS law enforcement personnel and the global reach of Absolute, nearly two
dozen stolen CMS computers have been recovered in the last two years. CMS Law
Enforcement has also assisted other law enforcement agencies, such as the
Charlotte-Douglas International Airport Police, North Carolina Central
University Police, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, with training and in
recovering computers that have surfaced in Charlotte.
The high rate of recovery means significant savings in replacement costs for
CMS. At about $1,000 per computer, replacing a laptop represents a significant
expense to the district - and with county and state money drying up during the
economic downturn, those savings are more important than ever. So CMS law
enforcement makes recovery one of its top priorities.
"It's a wonderful service and it saves money," said Susan T. Manning, director
of data center operations for CMS. "The software costs less than $100 per
computer, so recovering just one computer pays for that computer's software
plus nine others. In addition, Absolute Software will pay as much as $1,000
per computer if a stolen computer can't be recovered."
Absolute provides this service to a variety of school districts, governments
and private industry. CMS began using the service several years ago. "CMS uses
the software on laptops and also on some desktop computers that are in mobile
classrooms, because experience has shown that those are the most vulnerable to
theft," Manning said.
The laptop found in the trailer near Berryhill Elementary was one of four
stolen in a break-in at the Northeast Learning Community Center. In addition
to the one found in Berryhill, two have been located in the Dominican
Republic, and Absolute is working with police in that country to recover them.
"In addition to getting telephone and IP (Internet Protocol) addresses, we are
able to forensically mine the stolen computer," said Lyle Singular, Vice
President, Recovery Services at Absolute. "Because the Absolute Theft Recovery
Team is made up of former law enforcement personnel, we know what evidence
police need to get the subpoenas and warrants necessary to go after the
alleged criminals."
Mr. Singular continued: "Usually, our recoveries are pretty low-key. We just
want the laptop back and if we get it, that's the end of it. But this one was
different because some of the evidence Absolute gained from the computer
indicated that it likely was being used as part of a document lab, where fake
IDs, Social Security cards and other documents were being created."
The evidence led CMS law enforcement to two families living near Berryhill.
Because of immigration issues involving some family members, the investigation
included Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, according to Smallridge.
"In addition to the computer, law enforcement officers found a laminating
machine, a scanner and printer, hole punches used for ID cards and other
materials that indicated the trailer was at least a low-level document lab,"
Smallridge said.
"We appreciate the assistance we got from ICE, our local law enforcement
partners, and Absolute Software," Smallridge said. "We got our property back
and, for now, that document lab is out of business."

How Computrace Solutions Work

The Computrace(R) Agent that powers Absolute Software solutions is embedded in
the firmware of computers right at the factory or it can be installed by the
customer.* Embedded in the firmware of a computer, the stealthy Computrace
Agent is capable of surviving operating system re-installations, as well as
hard-drive reformats, replacements and re-imaging. The Agent can be activated
by customers when they purchase a subscription with terms ranging from one to
four years.
The Agent regularly contacts the Absolute Monitoring Center - sending location
and IT asset management information that is accessible via the Absolute
Customer Center web portal. Customers log in to the Absolute Customer Center
to access that information, manage their IT asset population, run reports,
remotely delete data and plot the location of their computers and mobile
devices on a map.
If a computer is stolen, the Absolute Theft Recovery Team can use location
information sent by the computer and forensically mine it using a variety of
procedures including key captures, registry scanning, file scanning,
geolocation, and other investigative techniques to determine who has the
computer and how it is being used. Absolute then works with local law
enforcement to help recover the computer.

Meet Absolute During NECC 2009

Meet Absolute's laptop tracking and security experts and see Computrace first
hand during NECC by visiting the Absolute exposition booth number 3709.
For more information on Absolute Software and its range of computer theft
recovery, data protection and IT asset management solutions, please visit
www.absolute.com.

* For a complete list of firmware-supported computers, see
www.absolute.com/firmware.

About Absolute Software

Absolute Software Corporation (TSX: ABT) is the leader in computer theft
recovery, data protection and secure IT asset management solutions. Absolute
Software provides organizations and consumers with solutions in the areas of
regulatory compliance, data protection and theft recovery. The Company's
Computrace software is embedded in the firmware of computers by global
leaders, including Acer, ASUS, Dell, Fujitsu, General Dynamics Itronix, HP,
Lenovo, Motion, Panasonic and Toshiba, and the Company has reselling
partnerships with these OEMs and others, including Apple. For more information
about Absolute Software and Computrace, visit www.absolute.com and
http://www.absolute.com/blog.
Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking
statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking
statements relate to, among other things, the expected performance,
functionality and availability of our services and products, the availability
of and eligibility for our Service Guarantee, the likelihood of successful
recoveries, and other expectations, intentions and plans contained in this
press release that are not historical fact. When used in this press release,
the words "plan," "expect," "believe," and similar expressions generally
identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current
expectations. They are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties,
including, but not limited to, changes in technology and general market
conditions. In light of the many risks and uncertainties you should understand
that we cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements contained in
this press release will be realized.

(C)2009 Absolute Software Corporation. All rights reserved. Computrace and
Absolute are registered trademarks of Absolute Software Corporation.
Computrace U.S. patents # 5,715,174, # 5,764,892, # 5,802,280, # 5,896,497, #
6,244,758, # 6,269,392, # 6,300,863, and # 6,507,914. Canadian patents #
2,284,806 and # 2,205,370. U.K. patents # EP793823 and # GB2338101. German
patent # 695 125 34.6-08. Australian patent # 699045. Japanese patent #
JP4067035. The Toronto Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved of
the information contained in this news release.

SOURCE Absolute Software Corporation

Public Relations: Leslie Campisi, Affect Strategies,
leslie@affectstrategies.com, or (212) 398-9680 x144; Investor Relations: Dave
Mason, CFA, The Equicom Group, dmason@equicomgroup.com, or (416) 815-0700
x237