In the old days of computing, hulking desktop systems with heavy monitors ruled
the cubicle. Companies are increasingly using their end-user computing budgets
for laptops. Add to that the proliferation of wireless hot spots and high speed
connections, and you have a recipe for mobile computing security disasters. The
problem with laptops is that they are both portable and valuable. Too many stories
abound of lost and stolen laptops, whose hardware value pales in comparison to
the priceless data they contain.
For security's sake, you must be aware of where your laptop is at all times.
When you sit down to eat at an airport restaurant, keep that laptop strap around
your feet. When you trip after getting up, you will remember to bring your
laptop with you. If you are standing idle and wish to put your bag down, put
it between your ankles. Security can even start before you go on the road.
Use a bag designed for laptops but does not look like a laptop bag. Laptop
bags signal thieves like drug-sniffing dogs in a Miami airport. There are backpacks
and shoulder bags that have laptop pockets and padding built in.
At work, always use a laptop cable lock when the machine is on your desk.
When you step away, you don't need to worry about it walking away. During a
meeting, if you must step away from the conference room, make sure you have
the computer locked down with a cable lock. If one is not available, ensure
that the conference room is locked when no one is inside. At a minimum, you
should log off from the network and the computer so people do not have access
to your files and accounts. It is not unusual in the workplace for a coworker
to use another's computer to send emails. The only problem is that those emails
are coming with your name attached to them. When you leave the office at night,
either leave your laptop locked or secure it in a locked desk drawer. Maintenance
workers have been known to pilfer the stray equipment.
At the airport, never check your laptop as luggage. With the new FAA regulations
concerning luggage inspection, you cannot lock your laptop in your bag. It
is too tempting for the inspectors and baggage handlers not to leave it alone.
You also don't want to risk the entire bag being lost or stolen. When you go
through security checkpoints, keep a sharp eye on the conveyor belts. This
is where many laptops get stolen. While you are held up by security, an absent-minded
traveler, or a thief's shill, the laptop is taken at the end of the belt. When
inside the airplane, do not put your laptop in the overhead storage bin. Too
many people have access to it. Always use the space under your feet. If you
are sitting at the front of the plane and don't have an underseat compartment
at your disposal, store the laptop overhead during takeoff and landing, then
take it out at cruising altitude.
In the car, never leave the laptop or the bag in plain view. Leave it locked
in the trunk or hide it inside a locked car. Even if your car is in your driveway
or garage, never leave your laptop in an unlocked car. If you are going to
dinner and are having your car parked by a valet, either take the laptop with
you or lock the laptop in the trunk while giving the valet the valet key. The
valet key will deny them access to the trunk. Of course, there is nothing preventing
the valet from stealing the car and breaking into the trunk later.
Human nature being what it is, you will invariably get distracted and won't
be able to keep tabs on your laptop during every waking minute. Therefore,
you should take steps to secure your data in the event that your machine is
lost or stolen. Windows 2000 and XP, for example, offer file encryption capabilities
that can help secure your data. Also, be sure to back up your data. That way,
if anything were to happen physically, you can still continue your work.
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