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The Case of the Stolen Laptop: Mitigating the Threats of Equipment Theft

securitytechnetThe fear of having laptops stolen is a huge worry for all organizations. Maybe it’s even happened to you (I hope not!). The solution is simple, really -- don’t let your laptop get stolen. (I can hear you laughing now.) Keep the thing with you at all times, or leave it in your hotel room when you don’t want to carry it around. Yes, everyone has heard the warnings about hotel room theft, but I’ve never had something stolen from a hotel room and I spend well over 200 nights a year in hotels. (If you travel to a location where the general population has kleptomaniac tendencies, stay in hotels that offer safes in the room.) You’re far more likely to leave your laptop or PDA or smart phone or USB drive lying on the seat in a taxi or on the counter at a bar.

Certainly there are places where theft is a possibility: conferences and airports are common, and even offices can be unsafe at times. I carry a laptop locking cable in my computer bag and use it to lock my laptop to the table whenever I’m presenting at a conference and will need to be away from the room -- but only if I believe the venue to be relatively safe (yes, this is a subjective judgment). If I judge theft to be a danger, I’ll pack the computer back in its bag and carry it around. At airports the laptop is either in my lap or in its bag, and the bag is always in hand or on the floor within reach. Try not to fall asleep in the airport -- that’s what business class seats are for. If you absolutely must sleep at the airport, consider a motion-sensing alarm. But you might be more likely to trigger it yourself as you shift during your slumber.

Whatever you do, don’t advertise the fact that you’re laden with all the latest and coolest battery-powered gadgetry. Are you guilty of carrying a laptop, PDA, digital camera, music player, mobile phone, and a portable video game? What do you carry all this in? Be discreet, even aiming for invisible: avoid computer-branded carrying cases, common accessory brands of bags or packs, or anything that gives away your love for all things transistorized. To carry around bags with logos is to invite unwanted attention -- thieves know that companies sell thousands of logo-emblazoned carrying cases to business travelers toting the latest desirable electronic gear. Instead, take your kid with you and go shopping for a backpack that’ll hold everything you’ve got. It’ll make you feel young again -- or at least be a useful educational experience, not to mention an excuse to exchange your shoulder-killing briefcase for something healthier and more ergonomic.

The mobility of laptops demands additional protection of the often critical and confidential data they store. Three features of Windows 2000 and Windows XP can help you keep your information out of the hands of a thief who somehow manages to get hold of your laptop: passwords, EFS, and SysKey. Do realize that if you use these features, you will most likely frustrate the thief so much that he or she will destroy your laptop in anger and disgust, but this is far preferable to seeing the development plans and source code of your next killer product posted online. The Case of the Stolen Laptop: Mitigating the Threats of Equipment Theft -- TechNet Column - Security Management - February 2005 Linked by LT Hacker








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