Many people do not
protect their laptops efficiently. Laptops are
lightweight and easy to steal. But there are things you can do to
make your your laptop useless to a thief. You can disappoint a
would-be-thief by turning your laptop into a paperweight. Yes you
will cause the thief to have a computer problem and you will have some
relief knowing that nobody will see any of your personal or
confidiential data.
Set
all your passwords! This
one is really important. When your laptop is booting up there is
an option to enter the "Setup Mode". This depends on your
manufacturer. You may see something that says to press
"F1". If you have an IBM Thinkpad it may tell you to press the
"Access IBM" button. But all laptops have this security feature.
At first you
will find it frusterating to type in your password everytime you boot
up your laptop. However, you get used to this procedure and you
won't even think about it after a few times. You will also have
peace of mind knowing that if your laptop should ever be stolen the
thief will not be able to do anything with your laptop.
Another thing
you can do is buy a lock for your laptop. The quick trip to the
restroom is more than enough time for a thief to carry your laptop
off. You can purchase a lock that will discourage the
would-be-thief. It is similar to a bicycle lock. The locks
are made specifically for laptops. You can get either a
combination lock or a key lock.
If you are
traveling on a plane then carry it with you. Do not check it in
with your luggage. Luggage has been known to be lost or
stolen. Many companies require you to check your laptop in as a
carry on.
You should
also register all your software as well as your laptop. Keep a
copy of all your information somewhere other than your laptop. If
you your laptop should be lost or stolen you can call the manufacturer
and advise them. Some manufactures such as IBM can identify
stolen laptops when the thief tries to go online. The police can
be sent to the exact location of the laptop and recover it immediately.