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Security vital for laptops, other data devices

Article: TimesDaily.com — August 27, 2006

Author: Ty West, Staff Writer
TimesDaily.com
August 27, 2006

You don’t have to look much further than the recent Veterans Affairs laptop incident to see the importance of securing your laptop computer, particularly if it’s used for business.

A laptop containing sensitive data on more than 20 million veterans was stolen, and although no major problems have been reported in the aftermath, consumer groups and others specializing in digital data say it should serve as a warning of how crucial it is to protect information in the information age.

According to the Better Business Bureau of the Shoals, more businesses are providing their employees with laptops, cell phones and personal data assistants. Although those devices significantly increase convenience and ease of communication, they also contain certain security risks.

One of the main reasons laptops and other devices are convenient is for travel, and as Bill Margeson points out, that’s also where they can cause problems. Margeson is chief executive officer of CBL Data Recovery Technologies, a New York firm that specializes in data recovery and other related technology. One of the most important things that business travelers can do, Margeson said, is to back up their data, either by putting it on a compact disk or a thumb drive. Not only will that prevent you from losing sensitive data altogether in the event of a theft or accident, but it also will mean that your important presentation for an event that you’re traveling to won’t be ruined.

“(His or her) whole trip could be in jeopardy,” Margeson said. “If you back it up, you can take it to any PC and be able to utilize it.”

Margeson stresses that you should never let your laptop or other device out of sight. That means that rather than storing your laptop in an overhead compartment, you should probably keep it under your seat, he said.

Aside from the risk of theft, Margeson said, travelers also should be wary of the potential for damage when traveling with a laptop. “A hard drive is very fragile; if it gets tossed or dropped, you could be in trouble,” Margeson said. “I think everyone needs to realize there could be some rough handling.”

With travelers waiting in long lines to get through security or on a plane, often with hundreds of people and in a tense situation, Margeson said travelers might not think about damaging their data just by dropping their bags or handling them roughly.

That’s another reason Margeson recommends travelers carry laptops onto the plane, if possible, and that they don’t store them overhead. “Objects shift during flight, and it could drop when (the compartment) opens,” he said.

Finally, if you must check your laptop, Margeson said the best alternative is to pack it inside your luggage, rather than checking your laptop carrying case. That way, clothing can absorb some of the movement, preventing damage to the laptop, specifically the hard drive.

“Luggage goes through quite a gauntlet from when you drop it off to when you pick it up,” Margeson said.

The BBB recommends that all businesses share some general guidelines with their employees who take advantage of the devices. First, if an employee must take data off the company premises, the data should definitely be encrypted. And if possible, don’t store any sensitive customer or employee data, including Social Security numbers, account numbers or credit card information, on any portable devices. The laptop or PDA also should be password-protected, ideally with a password that would be difficult to guess (i.e. not related to the individual or the company). Even when you’re in the office, the BBB recommends that you keep your laptop, PDA or cell phone in sight and locked in a secure location when not in use. Finally, the BBB also points out that laptops and computers are not the only devices that can be hacked. Hackers could get into your cell phone to steal stored files, contacts and voice mails or even install a virus.

Ty West can be reached at 740-5720 or at [email protected].