Critical Laptop Security Tips

·  NEVER leave a laptop unattended (in the open).

Laptop theft is a crime of opportunity. Always keep the laptop at your side. If you are at the coffee shop, do not walk away, even for 30 seconds, and leave your laptop unattended. Thieves often have less than 30 seconds to make "a hit" on your laptop. They are good at it.

·  NEVER leave a laptop stored in a parked car in plain view.

Once again, laptop theft is a crime of opportunity. Breaking a car window and grabbing a laptop takes all of about 4 seconds.

·  ALWAYS store a laptop in the trunk when storing in a vehicle--and note the remaining risk.

Store your laptop in the trunk if you must leave it with the car. Heed storage temperature warnings from the manufacturer if extremely hot/cold temperatures are expected. Also note that some high-profile laptop thefts have occurred even with the laptop in the trunk. This indicates thieves who were watching the target and knew the laptop was concealed in the trunk.

·  NEVER leave a laptop in an accessible area, such as a college dorm room, apartment, or hotel room, in plain sight.

Unsuspecting laptop owners often leave their laptops in dorm rooms, apartments and hotel rooms, in plain sight and sometimes even without the door locked! Always keep the laptop out of sight. If you have a safe (many hotel rooms offer this now), use it.

·  ALWAYS carry the laptop in a discrete bag/case, NOT readily-identifiable as a laptop bag.

If possible, invest in a more general carrying bag or case for your laptop, as opposed to an obvious laptop bag. While cases/bags designed for laptops are indeed convenient, they also broadcast to potential thieves that you are carrying a nice target.

·  ALWAYS lock doors, and lock the laptop machine itself if possible.

If this seems like common sense...it is. Yet many laptop owners simply think their laptops will not be stolen, regardless of how careless they are.

·  ALWAYS encrypt critical, sensitive information.

Many encryption tools can dramatically slow the laptop's performance, so be careful and consider the needs. One disadvantage to total-drive encryption (encrypting the entire hard drive) is often performance loss. A disadvantage to partial-drive encryption (encrypting only special folders/files/areas) is that sensitive data is often accidentally placed outside the encrypted area. Performance is important...but so is critical, private, sensitive data!

·  ALWAYS install your operating system's latest updates.

Being attacked from the network itself is an enormous risk in the Internet Age. Be absolutely certain to regularly update your computer's software with fixes issued by the vendor. Most major operating system vendors (Microsoft, Apple, Linux, etc.) provide automated services to keep your laptop up-to-date with security fixes.

·  ALWAYS install anti-virus/anti-spyware and firewall software.

Protect your laptop's integrity by installing software to detect and remove viruses and spyware. Examples include Norton Antivirus (by Symantec) and McAfee.

·  ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings.

For overall security, including your own personal safety, always pay close attention. Being absorbed in a book, cell phone call, personal music player, newspaper, or other distractions can give thieves significant opportunity to approach, study, and even strike. Look at the people around you, occasionally. Be alert.

·  ALWAYS keep the shoulder strap on, or a strap wrapped around your arm, when travelling in crowds.

Some laptop thefts occur as regular "muggings." As with a purse, keep the strap of your laptop carrying bag around your shoulder or looped around your arm for extra protection. This will also help prevent accidental loss or misplacement in a crowd.

·  ALWAYS clearly and visibly mark the laptop, to warn potential thieves of trackability.

Ever wonder why security alarm companies place a stand-up sign in your front yard when they install the alarm? It is not to advertise (though that is also a benefit). It warns potential thieves of RISK. Quite simply, The Sign Stops Crime. This is the same reason that Neighborhood Watch signs are posted near the entrances to neighborhoods. Your laptop must clearly, boldly and directly warn a potential thief "casing" an area that your laptop is not an un-marked, easy target (everybody else's laptop is). Thieves avoid marked property. MyLaptopGPS™ provides renowned, permanent SafeTags™ for precisely this purpose, in addition to complete police traceability.

·  ALWAYS record the model number and serial number of the laptop and take photographs.

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