HP Sure View Blocks Prying Eyes

Hackers don't need high-tech digital coding tools to steal your identity—they just need decent eyesight.

The new phenomenon of "visual hacking" means anyone at a nearby Starbucks table or library desk can poach information from your computer screen. So HP Sure View is a new 3M-developed feature for the HP EliteBook 1040 and 840 laptops that's intended to protect against visual hacking with the press of a button.

Tap the F2 key to transition into privacy mode, which reduces up to 95 percent of the screen's visible light when viewed at an angle, making it difficult for anyone other than you to read the display.

"The addition of HP Sure View to our PC security solutions helps address the risks associated with visual hacking and gives customers the freedom to work more confidently and productively in public spaces with the touch of a button," Alex Cho, vice president and general manager of HP's commercial PCs, said in a statement.

A recent 3M-sponsored study by the Ponemon Institute tipped a 90 percent visual hacking success rate—a frightening proposition for businesses whose employees take their work outside of the office.

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HP Sure View is set for a September launch on the HP EliteBook 1040 Full HD touch and non-touch versions, as well as the HP EliteBook 840.

For more, check out PCMag's roundup of the Best Password Managers and How to Avoid Getting Hacked While Traveling.