Computer companies are offering new kinds of hardware-based security, which may be tougher to crack than software-based security systems. Targus and IBM have a new fingerprint reader than can be used by laptops instead of a password. IBM is working with XyLoc to produce a security badge that unlocks the computer when its user is within a few feet and locks it if the user steps away. Phoenix and VeriSign have a system that moves the encryption code keys from the vulnerable hard disk to the relatively secure input-output system.--Stephen V Cole