Laptop computers are often stolen. They are small, easily sold, and
valuable. When a laptop is stolen it is a major inconvenience at best,
and if company confidential data gets into the wrong hands the results
can be truly catastrophic.
Many
professionals use a laptop, often transporting it between home and the
office. Most travel at least occasionally with a laptop. Laptops are
particularly vulnerable when traveling but are also often stolen from
offices and residences as well.
These simple steps should be taken to help protect laptops from physical theft.
Use
a locking cable and perhaps an alarm for your laptop, available at any
computer store. I don’t always lock my laptop, for example at home, but
often lock it in hotel rooms and even in my private office when leaving
for extended periods of time.
Carry your laptop in something
other than a laptop bag, for example a briefcase or backpack. Don't
make it obvious your bag contains a laptop!
Try not to leave
laptops in a car. This isn't always practical, but minimize it as much
as practical. Never leave a laptop, laptop case, or briefcase in plain
sight in a car.
Watch your laptop carefully in airports and
train stations! Certainly do not put it in checked luggage. Do not
ignore or leave it alone for even a few seconds. When going through
security, place it on the x-ray machine last, immediately before
walking through.
Many laptops are stolen from businesses. If you
don't know if it's safe to leave your laptop unattended then ask
someone. A colleague once had his laptop stolen from a "secure
building" at a police facility during lunch!
Don't leave your laptop or any laptop accessories visible in your hotel. In a drawer covered by clothes is a good hiding place.
If you take a bus or shuttle, hold on to your laptop. Don't put it “in back” with the other luggage.
It
only takes a few seconds for a thief to grab a laptop. These simple
steps will help protect your laptop, your data, and even your company
from potential disaster!
Category: Useable Info | Added by: jenum (2009-09-12)
| Author: Protect Your Laptop from Theft
