Protect Your Laptop and Your Information
According to a study, business travelers lose about 12,000 laptops every week at the airport and according to the FBI 97% are never recovered.
This number is even more shocking when you consider that 65 percent of survey respondents indicated they were carrying confidential information - and they weren't taking any measures to protect that information. This is a lot of sensitive, unprotected information that may be up for grabs because someone got careless in the waiting area of an airport.
The following prevention and mitigation tips for laptop and data theft may help you on your next business trip.
Prevent laptop loss or theft by giving yourself plenty of time at the airport. Pack lightly so that you are not overwhelmed by vast amounts of luggage. Also, security checkpoints and gates are the most common places that people lose their computer. Be particularly careful in both of these areas.
Make certain to encrypt and back up all important files. By doing this, if you do lose your computer you will minimize any risk that confidential company information will end up in the wrong hands. With the backup you will be able to quickly rebuild your files quickly and minimize your downtime. Windows XP & Vista lets you encrypt files and folders. Do this by right clicking your data, select properties, open the general tab, then the advanced box and finally check "Encrypt contents to secure data box".
You can clearly identify a stolen or lost laptop to police by using invisible, ultraviolet markings on your laptop. Another option is to store a copy of your laptop's serial number somewhere other than your laptop.
To slow a thief down, set up a BIOS Password for your laptop. Regularly backup your information. Although you can easily replace your hardware, personal data may take months or years of work to get back.
A theft-recovery system like a LoJack for Laptops can be helpful if you do lose your laptop or have it stolen. With some theft-recovery systems, the computer will automatically call a Monitoring Center once a day, but that can be increased if your computer is stolen. When your computer can check in with the Monitoring Center and they can remove sensitive information by initiating a data delete.
Related Reading:
Laptops For DummiesGet a move on! Learn to roam free with this guide to choosing and using a laptop
Laptops come with everything you need to get going — everything, that is, except a guide to buying and using one. This book covers portable computers from laptop to lap-bottom, with useful advice on picking one, setting it up, managing power and peripherals, going online, and hitting the road.
Which one fits your lap? — learn what to look for, what to ignore, and how to find the laptop you'll love
Get acquainted — tour your laptop and locate its buttons, disk slots, security features, and keyboard peculiarities
Windows, laptop model — test-drive Windows® on your laptop and know where to find programs, files, and network access
Feel the power — discover how to monitor your laptop's power and prolong battery life
You've got connections — introduce your laptop to a network and connect to the Internet wherever you find it
Make friends with your OS — find out how to use the latest features in Windows® 7 and other laptop-friendly operating systems and keep your laptop happy
Bells and whistles, anyone? — add a portable printer, PC Card, or USB gizmo to make your laptop more versatile
Prepare for takeoff — protect your laptop and your data when you travel
Open the book and find:
Translations of laptop buzzwords
Regular maintenance and troubleshooting tips
Steps for safely unpacking your laptop
Advice on maximizing power, memory, and hard drive space
Tips for strong passwords you can actually remember
What the differences are between netbooks and laptops
How to make phone calls and video-chat from your laptop
Descriptions of ten cool laptop accessories
Learn to:
Make the most of the latest laptop features and capabilities
Synchronize your laptop with your desktop and cellphone
Set up security for mobility and social networking
Beef up your laptop's memory and hard drive capacity
Laptops All-in-One For DummiesThe all-in-one guide to buying, using, securing, and transporting a laptop—it's ten books in one! If you want to take a computer with you on a trip, to a coffee shop, or into the kitchen when you're cooking, laptops are just the ticket. They're portable, powerful, and popular—but they're not desktops, so you’ll want to know what you’re doing from the get-go. This terrific, ten-minibooks-in-one book covers all the bases: how to choose the best laptop for you, what you need to know when you’re on the road, how to get more productive and more.
- Shows you how to keep your laptop running smoothly and safely at home, at work, in the classroom, and on the road
- Includes ten books in one: Choosing the Best Laptop, Setting Up Your Laptop, Running Basic Windows Operations, Using Common Applications, Playing with Multimedia, Managing Your Power Supply, Upgrading Your Laptop, Networking and Linking to the Internet, Protecting Your Laptop, and Troubleshooting Common Problems
- Offers advice and tips on using your laptop safely and efficiently, including what accessories you need
- Reflects the very latest technologies, including Windows 7 and the new Microsoft Office 2010
This easy-to-follow For Dummies guide tells you everything you need to know about laptops!
Laptops for the Older and Wiser: Get Up and Running on Your Laptop Computer (The Third Age Trust (U3A)/Older & Wiser)Helpful, easy-to-follow guide for new laptop users over the age of 50 Laptops are fun and more popular than ever, but they are still computers and come with their own set of issues: easier to steal, more likely to be dropped, often dependent on wireless Internet access, and other concerns. If you're entering the computer world as an older adult—and wondering about laptops—this straightforward, helpful book is for you.
Written in full color with lots of screenshots and clear, easy-to-read type, this friendly guide walks you through the process from start to finish: selecting which type of laptop is right for you (PC or Mac?), handling setup, safely adding wireless Internet access, staying secure online, and much more.
- Provides guidance for purchasing your laptop, bringing it home, and setting up
- Walks you through all the various connections, buttons and switches
- Shows you how to connect wirelessly at home and abroad, safely
- Delves into laptop accessories, whether you need them, and how to get the most out of them
- Addresses online security issues and how to stay safe
- Explores troubleshooting problems and how to save your precious data
Prepare properly, enjoy the freedom, and maybe even show the kids a thing or two with this fun and practical guide!
