HEAT LANrev

{{short description|System administration software}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2014}}

{{Infobox software

| name = Ivanti LANrev

| developer = Ivanti

| latest release version = 7.4.5

| latest release date = {{Start date|2019|09|8}}

| operating_system = Windows, macOS

| genre = Network management, Systems management, IT automation, Software Asset Management, Mobile Device Management

| license = Proprietary

| website = {{URL|ivanti.com}}

}}

HEAT LANrev (formerly Absolute Manage) is systems lifecycle management software used by system administrators to automate IT administration tasks. The product includes server and client ("agent") software that runs on Windows and macOS.

History

Vancouver-based Absolute acquired LANrev from Pole Position Software in December 2009, for US$12.1 million in cash and 500,000 shares of Absolute's common stock. LANrev was rebranded as Absolute Manage in February 2010.{{cite news|title=Absolute Software Unveils New Cross-Platform IT Asset Management Solution|url=http://www.lanrev.com/company/news/single/article/absolute-software-unveils-new-cross-platform-it-asset-management-solution.html?tx_ttnews[backPid]=3&cHash=093df143d9|newspaper=Press Release|date=February 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010043339/http://www.lanrev.com/company/news/single/article/absolute-software-unveils-new-cross-platform-it-asset-management-solution.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=3&cHash=093df143d9|archive-date=October 10, 2011}} In July 2015, Absolute announced its intention to divest Absolute Manage.{{cite news|title=Absolute Software Announces Intent to Divest Absolute Manage and Absolute Service|url=http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/absolute-software-announces-intent-to-divest-absolute-manage-and-absolute-service-518066721.html|newspaper=Press Release|date=July 16, 2015}} The sale of Absolute Manage to HEAT Software was completed on October 5, 2015, for US$11.0 million,{{cite news|title=Absolute Completes Sale of Absolute Manage and Absolute Service|url=http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/absolute-completes-sale-of-absolute-manage-and-absolute-service-530646751.html|newspaper=Press Release|date=October 5, 2015}} and the product was renamed HEAT LANrev.{{cite web|title=HEAT LANrev Client Management - Formerly Absolute Manage|url=https://heatsoftware.com/platform/unified-endpoint-management/endpoint-management/heat-lanrev-client-management/|website=HEAT Software|access-date=26 November 2015|date=2015}}

{{cite news |last1=Jordan |first1=Roy |title=Cyber Centaurs |url=https://cybercentaurs.com/data-breach-investigation/ |access-date=12 June 2021}}

School webcam controversy

In the 2010 Robbins v. Lower Merion School District case, plaintiffs charged two suburban Philadelphia high schools secretly spied on students by surreptitiously and remotely activating webcams embedded in school-issued laptops the students were using at home, and therefore infringed on their privacy rights. The schools admitted to secretly snapping over 66,000 webshots and screenshots, including webcam shots of students in their bedrooms.{{cite news|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/02/school-district-accused-of-issuing-webcam-laptops-to-spy-on-students/1|author=Doug Stanglin|title=School district accused of spying on kids via laptop webcams|date=February 18, 2010|work=USA Today|access-date=February 19, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913050816/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/02/school-district-accused-of-issuing-webcam-laptops-to-spy-on-students/1|url-status=live|archive-date=September 13, 2012}}{{cite web|title=Initial LANrev System Findings|url=http://lmsd.org/documents/news/100503_l3_report.pdf|website=Lower Merion School District|access-date=17 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615100827/http://lmsd.org/documents/news/100503_l3_report.pdf|archive-date=15 June 2010|date=May 2010|quote=LMSD Redacted Forensic Analysis, L-3 Services – prepared for Ballard Spahr (LMSD's counsel)}}

LANrev software was used in the Lower Merion school district's student laptop program, overseen by network technician Michael Perbix.{{cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/190101/school_district_faces_lawsuit_over_webcam_spying_claims.html|title=School District Faces Lawsuit Over Webcam Spying Claims|author=Jeff Porten|date=February 23, 2010|publisher=PC World|access-date=February 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605075505/https://www.pcworld.com/article/190101/school_district_faces_lawsuit_over_webcam_spying_claims.html|archive-date=June 5, 2011}} In February 2010, Perbix and other administrators in the district were accused of using the software to take undisclosed and unauthorized photographs of students through the webcams on their Macintosh laptops.{{cite web|last=Worden |first=Amy |url=http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20100222_Laptop_camera_snapped_away_in_one_classroom.html |title=Laptop camera snapped away in one classroom | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/22/2010 |publisher=Philly.com |date=February 22, 2010 |access-date=August 10, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328092612/http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20100222_Laptop_camera_snapped_away_in_one_classroom.html |archive-date=March 28, 2010 }} The lawsuit was brought by the parents of 15-year-old sophomore, Blake Robbins, who was allegedly accused of illicit behavior seen through his computer's webcam of him in his bedroom. The photographs, taken from a laptop that was not reported stolen, were then allegedly used as evidence in a disciplinary action.{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/suit-schools-spied-on-students-via-webcam/ |title=Suit: Schools Spied on Students Via Webcam |publisher=CBS News |date=February 18, 2010 |access-date=August 10, 2010}} The FBI investigated the incident, and a Philadelphia federal judge intervened to sort out issues relating to the lawsuit.{{cite web|last=Claburn |first=Thomas |url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/privacy/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=223100403 |title=FBI Investigating Web Spycam |publisher=InformationWeek |date= |access-date=August 10, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504183217/http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/privacy/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=223100403|archive-date=May 4, 2010}}{{cite web|last=Tanfani |first=Joseph |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/85021742.html |title=Rare ban in laptop lawsuit | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/23/2010 |publisher=Philly.com |date=February 23, 2010 |access-date=August 10, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329231332/http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/85021742.html |archive-date=March 29, 2010 }}

Perbix had previously praised Theft Track, the name of the feature that lets administrators remotely photograph potential thieves if a computer is reported stolen, noting in a YouTube video he produced that:

It’s an excellent feature. Yes, we have used it, and yes, it has gleaned some results for us. But it, in and of itself, is just a fantastic feature for trying to—especially when you’re in a school environment and you have a lot of laptops and you’re worried about, you know, laptops getting up and missing. I’ve actually had some laptops we thought were stolen which actually were still in a classroom, because they were misplaced, and by the time we found out they were back, I had to turn the tracking off. And I had, you know, a good twenty snapshots of the teacher and students using the machines in the classroom.{{cite web|url=http://www.democracynow.org/2010/2/24/headlines/fbi_us_attorney_probing_penn_school_districts_computer_spying |title=FBI, US Attorney Probing Penn. School District's Computer Spying |publisher=Democracynow.org |date= |access-date=August 10, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222204741/http://www.democracynow.org/2010/2/24/headlines/fbi_us_attorney_probing_penn_school_districts_computer_spying|archive-date=February 22, 2014}}

LANrev's new owner, Absolute Software denounced the use of their software for any illegal purpose, emphasizing that theft recovery should be left to law enforcement professionals.{{cite web|url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9160278/Software_maker_blasts_vigilantism_in_Pa._school_spying_case?taxonomyId=12|title=Software maker blasts 'vigilantism' in Pa. school spying case|author=Gregg Keizer|date=February 22, 2010|publisher=Computerworld|access-date=February 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222070748/http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9160278/Software_maker_blasts_vigilantism_in_Pa._school_spying_case?taxonomyId=12|archive-date=February 22, 2014}} They further denied any knowledge of or complicity in either Perbix's or the school district's actions. Absolute stated that the next update of LANrev would permanently disable Theft Track.{{cite web |url=http://blogs.techrepublic.com/itdojo/?p=1559 |title=LANrev to lose Theft Track feature following Pa. school spying allegations | TR Dojo | TechRepublic.com |publisher=Blogs.techrepublic.com |date=February 23, 2010 |access-date=August 10, 2010 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

References

{{reflist

|refs=

{{cite press release

|url=http://www.absolute.com/company/pressroom/news/2009/12/lanrev

|title=Absolute Software Acquires LANrev product suite from Pole Position Software

|date=December 3, 2009

|publisher=Absolute Software

|access-date=January 19, 2010

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100127182321/http://www.absolute.com/company/pressroom/news/2009/12/lanrev| archive-date= January 27, 2010 | url-status= live}}

{{cite web

|url=http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1315435

|title=The Top Five Solutions for Mac/Windows Client Deployment

|first=Ryan

|last=Faas

|date=January 9, 2009

|access-date=June 23, 2009

|publisher=InformIT

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120113100219/http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1315435| archive-date=January 13, 2012| url-status= live}}

{{cite journal

|url=http://www.mactech.com/articles/mactech/Vol.24/24.01/ManagingYourLoadset-Post-Deploy/index.html

|title=Managing Your Loadset, Post-Deploy

|first=Brian

|last=Best

|year=2008

|journal=MacTech

|volume=24

|issue=1

|access-date=June 23, 2009

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006195935/http://www.mactech.com/articles/mactech/Vol.24/24.01/ManagingYourLoadset-Post-Deploy/index.html

|archive-date=October 6, 2012

}}

}}