Laptop theft is rampant. You have a 1 in 10 chance
your shiny new laptop will be stolen. And the real
shocker: according to the FBI 97% are never recovered.
And they should know, the U.S. Department of Justice
stated in a recent report that the FBI lost 160 laptops
in a 44 month period ending in September of 2005. If
FBI agents have trouble keeping track of their laptops,
imagine what the ordinary person is facing.
The statistics are pretty grim. A laptop is stolen every
53 seconds. Ouch!
With stats like those you have to do everything in your
power to avoid becoming a victim of laptop theft. If you
keep valuable personal or business information on your
laptop the consequences can be even more gruesome and
devastating. For laptop hardware can be easily replaced,
but your valuable information may be lost forever.
So here are…
10 Practical Ways to Protect Your Laptop Against Theft,
Loss or Misplacement.
1. Keep Your Eyes On Your Laptop
Be aware of your laptop at all times especially when
traveling. You wouldn’t leave a Thousand Dollar Bill
lying around unattended would you? So watch your laptop
closely.
2. Don’t Use An Obvious Laptop Bag
Carry your laptop in regular luggage that doesn’t look
like it has a laptop. Don’t advertise your laptop to any
would be thieves.
3. Use Visual Locks And Restraints
Use visual locks and restraints to secure your laptop and
to act as a deterrent. It won’t fool hardened thieves but
most will opt for a less secure laptop. For example, you
can use a product like STOP, this system works by attaching
a specially-made security plate to your laptop. This plate
is barcoded and registered. It also carries a warning label
letting would-be cyber thieves know that the ownership of your
laptop is permanently monitored.
4. Use Passwords And Encryption
Use passwords and encryption to protect any sensitive
information on your laptop. Again, unless you use very
sophisticated encryption it won’t fool the experienced
hacker or hard-core digital thief but it will slow down
and hinder the common criminal.
Set a BIOS Password for your laptop. You have to take
advantage of any security option that’s on your laptop’s
OS or operating system. For those using Mac OS X you can
encrypt your entire hard drive and set-up a master password
in order to view it.
Windows XP & Vista lets you encrypt files and folders. Just
right click your data, select properties, open general tab
and then advanced to check “Encrypt contents to secure data
box”.
5. Use Encryption Programs Like Steganos Safe 2007
You can also try something like Steganos Safe 2007. Vital
files can be encrypted and it can even turn your USB thumb
drive or iPod into a key for unlocking your hard drive.
6. Use Anti-Theft Software Like LoJack
Use anti-theft software that can track and locate your
laptop or computer through the IP address once the stolen
laptop is used to access the Internet. Use systems like
“LoJack For Laptops”. It costs around 50 bucks a year
but it may be worth that price for your peace of mind alone.
According to the info on their site they recover 3 out of 4
stolen laptops equipped with the LoJack system. It basically
places hidden and silent software that reports back the IP
address and location of the laptop once it is stolen and the
thief connects to the Internet.
7. Use Invisible Ultraviolet Markings
Use invisible ultra-violet markings so that any recovered
stolen laptops will be clearly marked as yours to the police.
Keeping track of your laptop’s serial number is also a good
idea and have this number stored in a different place other
than on your laptop.
8. Try Remote Data Deletion
If you place important information on your laptop have a
remotely controlled self-destruct solution in place. Then
your highly sensitive information can be deleted remotely
after your laptop is stolen.
9. Be Prepared
Create company policies for management of your company’s laptops.
Have set procedures in place for tracking and reporting of any
laptops stolen or misplaced. Be prepared for the inevitable.
10. Backup Backup Backup
Regularly backup any vital information you have on your laptop.
Most information will be useless to potential thieves but may
be extremely important to you personally or for the running of
your business.
No matter if it is through theft or simple misplacement, losing
a laptop is a painful experience, one you should avoid at all
costs. However, if it does happen to you, be assured you can
minimize the pain by having a complete backup of your laptop’s
contents. In most cases, this information will be much more
valuable than the laptop itself.
For hardware can be easily replaced, your personal data and
months/years of work may take forever to recover or redo.
Sometimes it is lost forever, so BACKUP your information
regularly. Keep your laptop and its contents safe and out
of harm’s way. Simply protect yourself and your laptop by
using the tips you have just read.