"The fact that there is apparently no way to disable vPro on a PC along with the fact that most users cannot detect outside access to their PC via the vPro hardware based technology" Intel vPro technology is a set of technologies built into the hardware of the laptop or desktop PC.[2] The technology is targeted at businesses, not consumers. A PC with vPro includes Intel AMT, Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT), Intel Trusted Execution Technology (Intel TXT), a gigabit network connection, and so on. There may be a PC with a Core 2 processor, without vPro built in. However, vPro features require a PC with at least a Core 2 processor. Current versions of vPro are built into PCs with Core 2 Duo or Quad processors or Centrino 2 processors. Intel AMT is part of the Intel Management Engine, which is built into PCs with Intel vPro technology.[2] Intel AMT is a set of remote management and security features designed into the PC’s hardware and which allow a sys-admin with AMT security privileges to access system information and perform specific remote operations on the PC.[5] These operations include remote power up/down (via wake on LAN), remote / redirected boot (via integrated device electronics redirect, or IDE-R), console redirection (via serial over LAN), and other remote management and security features. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_vPro