Sometimes Computer Security Is Just About Locking It Up
The recent settlement of the Department of Veterans Affairs to the 26.5 million active and veteran troops who had their personal information compromised when a VA data analyst’s laptop was stolen brings to light the simplest computer security rule of all.
Lock up your computer when you are not physically in front of it.
These days we are so worried about having our email hacked, passwords compromised or systems hit with deadly viruses to think that maybe, just maybe, the slim little box that holds our life’s (or your company’s) work may get swiped from your home, office, or car.
Simple rules can help you avoid the costly loss of a system, its contents and your peace-of-mind:
- Never, NEVER, never leave your laptop in your car for any reason.
- When at home, don’t drop your laptop bag in the entry way of your home. Tuck it away in your closet, under a desk or somewhere else out of the way where you will remember where it is but where a quick acting burglar will not easily find it.
- Take it to the next level at home – tuck your laptop bag away as I mentioned above but remove your laptop and put it in a safe or a lockable drawer. This way, if a burglar does find your bag and grabs it quickly, they won’t get away with the hardware.
- Dining out? Don’t hang your laptop bag on the back of your chair. Like a purse, leaving it dangling behind you is a great enticement for quick, slippery hands. Put the laptop in the chair next to you, pushed in under the table or set it down between your legs.
- Lock your office while going to lunch or another meeting. Though your fellow employees may be trustworthy, other individuals may be coming and going through the building throughout the day. It is better to be safe than sorry.
I used to think that these precautions were unnecessary. But trust me, after hearing about a colleagues bad experience with getting a laptop stolen, I promised myself I would never let that happen to me because of something careless I did. It’s worth the added security to keep your company and your own information secure.
Note: There is a whole slew of computer safety precautions to take if traveling through the airport with your laptop. Stay tuned for some of my favorite trips and tricks.
Photo courtesy of laRuth
Tags: computer security, Department of Veterans Affairs, laptop security, stolen computer