Ask the It Guy: How Can I Prevent Laptop Theft?

Dear IT Guy - Your last article talked about preventing information theft. I think my biggest concern with that is my fear of my laptop being stolen. Any tips for helping prevent such a tragedy? Thanks!

When most people think about information theft the first thing that comes to mind is a vision of complicated computer viruses and sophisticated internet attacks. Surely no average person is capable of preventing such attacks? That is the job of the dedicated "IT" person. Well, the truth is most information theft incidents can easily be prevented by understanding how these crooks operate and by following some simple daily practices. In many of my articles, I will be discussing common tactics used by information criminals and I'll always share a few easy methods to help better protect your workplace and personal information.

In this article we are going to be discussing some methods that you can use to better secure your laptop. Laptop theft has become the number one cause of personal and corporate data loss. Think about it: Which information is easier to get to - a desktop computer stored away in a corporate fortress, protected by routers, firewalls, IP filtering, etc.? Or a nice, plump laptop filled to the brim with important information sitting alone on a table while the owner goes to refill his morning coffee at Starbucks? The reality is that laptop computers are much more vulnerable than other machines and careful thought should be put into what you store on your machine and how you store it.

Most of you are thinking, "Hmmm. What sophisticated programs and technologies do I have to understand so that I can become better protected? Well guess what: the answer is NONE. Most thefts are initiated because the user was acting carelessly, not because they neglected to download the latest virus patch. Here are a few non-technical tips that can help reduce your chance of being the target of a laptop heist.

1. NEVER leave your laptop unattended in a public place. Thieves target public places, waiting for the opportunity to just walk by and swipe an un-chaperoned laptop. Make sure someone is with it at all times. If you must go to the counter to get a refill from the barista, take the extra time to load the laptop into your sack first. It may seem like a hassle, but it is far less of a hassle than dealing with a lost corporate laptop.

2. Use a less obvious carry bag for your laptop. When traveling around with your laptop, you are not required to use a standard issue laptop case with DELL written in huge letters on it. This screams STEAL ME! Try to use something like a universal carryall or a backpack. I myself chose to use a standard issue backpack to carry my technological belongings.

3. When storing your laptop in a hotel room, make sure it is secure. Most hotels take no responsibility for items stolen while lying around unsecured your room. Make sure it is locked up in the room safe, or if it is too big, have the hotel manager put it into the hotel's main safe.

4. If you must leave your laptop in your car, make sure it is safely locked in the trunk. The trunk is the safest place to store your laptop in a car. It keeps it out of the criminals view and you can also purchase special lock kits that can lock your laptop securely to the inside of the trunk.

If there is one thing I want you to take with you from today's article it is to LOOK AFTER THOSE LAPTOPS! Remember that it does not take an IT genius to help protect yourself and your company against information theft. Plus, you might impress some of those "IT" people in the process.