Great security, or a breach of our privacy?

[DABhand]

Well if it was a keylogger and people are sold machines with them inside and not notified then yes its very much a breach.

But thats not to say its not a keylogger at all, and perhaps some anti-theft device, some notebooks have specific master passwords depending on specific hardware perhaps that has something to do with it.

Then again it might not :P

Who is to say, but them failing to tell the guy what it was is a breach of Data Protection Act (in the UK anyways) believe it or not. And also Trading Standards peoples would not be pleased either.