Safeguard your laptop

Advice from OnGuardOnline.gov

A laptop computer defines convenience and mobility. It enables you to work from home, a hotel room, a conference hall or a coffee shop.

Maybe you’ve taken steps to secure the data on your laptop: You’ve installed a firewall. You update your antivirus software. You protect your information with a strong password. You encrypt your data and don’t respond to e-mails that ask for your personal information.

But what about the laptop itself? A minor distraction is all it takes for your laptop to vanish. That would mean losing more than an expensive piece of hardware; if your data protections aren’t up to par, any sensitive and valuable information in your laptop could be a gold mine for an identity thief.

Although stories about laptops stolen from businesspeople or government workers have made national news headlines, many people fail to take simple precautions to keep their computers safe.

OnGuardOnline, a federal government Web site devoted to computer security, protecting personal information and guarding against Internet fraud, suggests keeping these tips in mind when you take your laptop out and about:

Treat your laptop like cash. If you had a wad of money sitting out in a public place, you wouldn’t turn your back on it, even for just a minute. Neither would you put it in checked luggage or leave it on the backseat of your car. Guard your laptop just as you would cash.

Lock it up. Whether you’re using your laptop in the office, a hotel or some other public place, a security device can make it more difficult for someone to steal it. Attach a laptop security cable to something immovable or heavy — such as a table or a desk.

Keep it off the floor. No matter where you are in public — at a conference, a coffee shop or a registration desk — avoid putting your laptop on the floor. If you must put it down, place it between your feet or against your leg so that you’re aware of it.

Store your passwords elsewhere. Remembering strong passwords or access numbers can be difficult. However, leaving either in a laptop carrying case or on your laptop is like leaving the keys in your car. There’s no reason to make it easy for a thief to get to your personal or corporate information.

Mind the bag. When you take your laptop on the road, carrying it in a computer case may advertise what’s inside. Con-sider using a suitcase, a padded briefcase or a backpack instead.

Get it out of the car. Don’t leave your laptop in the car, even if it’s not in plain view. Parked cars are a favorite target of laptop thieves. Don’t help them by leaving your laptop unattended. If you must leave your laptop behind, keep it out of sight.

Don’t leave it “for just a minute.” Your conference colleagues seem trustworthy, so you’re comfortable leaving your laptop while you network during a break. The people at the coffee shop seem nice, so you ask them to keep an eye on your laptop while you use the restroom. Don’t leave your laptop behind — even for a minute. Take it with you or use a cable to secure it to something heavy.

Pay attention in airports. Keep your eye on your laptop as you go through security. Hold onto it until the person in front of you has gone through the metal detector — and keep an eye out when it emerges on the other side of the screener. The confusion and shuffle of security checkpoints can be fertile ground for theft.

Be vigilant in hotels. If you stay in hotels, try not to leave your laptop out in your room. A security cable may not be enough. Rather, use the safe in your room if there is one. If you’re using a security cable to lock down your laptop, consider hanging the “do not disturb” sign on your door.

Use bells and whistles. Depending on your security needs, an alarm can be a useful tool. Some laptop alarms detect unexpected motion or signal when the computer moves outside a specified range around you. You might also consider a kind of “LoJack” for your laptop: a program that reports the location of your stolen laptop once it’s connected to the Internet.

Know where to turn for help. Immediately report a stolen laptop to local authorities. If it’s your business laptop, immediately notify your employer as well. You may also wish to review the Federal Trade Commission’s information for businesses about data breaches.