The Future For Laptop Security

Each year new devices and programmes are released to help enhance laptop security. In twenty these enhancements could protect our laptop securely. There are already many programmes that protect our laptops from viruses but they aren’t, at the moment, one hundred percent secure. If we continue to enhance these programmes then it could be a possibility that in the future we will not need to worry about viruses affecting our computer. Many people are put off using the internet are sceptical about these viruses affecting their computer, in some cases it can cost a lot of money and time to fix a computer once the virus has infected the computer. If the Internet is secure and people can be guaranteed safety then people will reap the benefits. Many new laptops have many new safety features built into them. For example the new Thinkpad T42 by IBM has a fingerprint reader built into the model, it creates a biometric layer of security that is impossible to breach. This could lead to the elimination of passwords, they are saying that this new fingerprint technology is safer and more reliable then passwords.

Other laptop security possibilities for the future could include, voice detectors, retina scanners and palm vein authentication. With these enhancements the chances of your laptop being stolen is lowered. The chances of vital information being hacked into and tampered with will decrease. It will become virtually impossible to access the information stored in your laptop. Even if you laptop is stolen, the thief will have no chance of accessing anything in your laptop, not even the programmes on your laptop will be accessible. As well as people not being able to access you laptop there could also be the possibility of your laptop being found. The new technology being used suggests that they have invented tracer chips that can be placed inside your laptop so if there is an incident that your laptop is stolen there is an increased chance that your laptop can be found. There is also the increased possibility that when the laptop is found the thief will also be caught as well. This will decrease the amount of thefts and thieves in our society, it will decrease the popularity of stealing because there is a higher chance of you getting caught.

What are the benefits or this? Well with increased security many people will be affected by the benefits. For example, if you laptop is stolen in the present day there is little chance that it will be retrieved, you have just lost thousands of dollars and you will have to replace that laptop therefore spending another thousand dollars on the laptop. In the future you will be able to track your laptop down therefore saving thousands of dollars. In addition to this many people will be more secure using laptops because there will be an increase in protection in both your identity, personal infomation and your physical laptop.

What can I do to protect my laptop?

What can you do realistically to protect your laptop from theft? There are many strategies and precautions to take to protect your laptop. To protect your laptop physically you should purchase a proper laptop bag. These bags are specifically designed to protect your laptop. They have extra padding in them so if dropped no damaged will be done. You should also engrave or attach a nameplate to your laptop so if stolen it can be identified as yours. 97% of unmarked laptops are never recovered so it is important that you mark the laptop as your own. You should also register your laptop with the manufacturer. If you do so then it will flag your laptop, if the thief ever turns in your laptop for repairs then it will come up as your and the thief will need ID to prove it is their laptop, this will increase your chances of reclaiming your laptop. When you have purchased your laptop you should write down the serial number and keep it in a safe place, if your laptop is stolen you can trace it down and identify it if you have the serial number.

How will I protect my laptop in the office? Well there are many physical objects you can buy to secure your laptop in the office. More then 80% of laptops are made with a Universal security slot so you can attach locks to protect your laptop. You can buy cable locks and alarms for your laptop. You can also use a docking station in the office to secure you laptop. Your laptop will be permanently attached to your desk it can also lock your laptop securely in place.

How do I protect my data? You should also have a strong BIOS password; this password will lock the hard drive so it can’t be removed. Also, you should buy anti-virus protection programs and regularly update them. It may cost extra money but it is worth it in the long run! You should also prevent your account name coming up every time you log on your computer. This way the hacker does not know your account name. You should always back up your data before you leave the office.

How can you tell when your laptop is in peril? Well there are many ways to tell if your computer is being hacked into or you should backup your documents. The main symptom is if your computer is acting weirdly, or not in its usual fashion. Some other symptoms that are if programmes on your laptop start crashing, freezing, error messages keep popping up or the programme unexpectedly quits. You should be keeping aware about pop up messages on the Internet. If you have pop up windows appear unaccountably then there might be a problem. When on the internet and your homepage is different then you set it there might be a problem, if your anti-spy ware or anti-virus software are turned off or no longer in function then there might also be a problem. A major peril for your computer is if a virus is on your computer.

What are you risking by not securing your laptop?

There are many risks involved if you do not secure your laptop. Many people use the laptop in negative ways and therefore major consequences are theft and laptop damage. It may be as simple as physically protecting your laptop. Many laptop owners do not buy special laptop bags to protect the laptop physically. If your laptop is not in a special bag, parts can be damaged, the screen can be smashed and parts can be lost. Many businessmen and women do not take into account that a large percentage of laptop theft occurs in the office. If you do not secure your laptop onto your desk then theft can easily occur. If you leave your laptop for five minutes to refill your coffee etc. and your laptop is not securely attached to your desk then you are jeopardizing the safety of your laptop. You may think your working environment is safe but cleaners; visitors to the company/office have an opportunity to steal your laptop. This also applies to transporting your laptop; if you are travelling overseas it is essential to keep your laptop with you at all times. When sitting in an airport lounge a negative use could be to leave it unattended, there is a very high risk it will get stolen. Many people negatively use their laptop by not spending that extra money on virus protection software to keep your personal documents safe. Many people do not back-up their documents on a memory stick etc if anything happens to your laptop hard drive you will loose everything and it can be very hard or impossible to reclaim your documents. So what can you do to keep your laptop safe and secure?

Laptop Security: An Introduction

The safety of your laptop is Key. Thousands of laptop computers are stolen every year, in the office, outside the office, at airports, in cabs and even in your homes. In the year 2003 1000 companies in America were surveyed. The results from this survey showed that 41.3% stated that thefts occurred within the office. 31.9% occurred outside of the office. When asked separately where laptops were stolen outside of the office, 12.4% stated in cars or taxis, 8.4% said airports and 5.6% said theft occurred in hotels. From this information we can tell that businessmen take more precautions for laptop safety when traveling then when they are at work. This indicates that it is crucial to protect your laptop in an environment you may think is safe, when in reality it is not. It is not only the laptop itself that should be protected but also the contents in the laptops hard drive can also be tampered with. It is estimated that the Mydoom, a computer worm, infected a quarter-million computers in a single day in January 2004. It could easily happen to your computer if it is not protected with proper precautions and software available. The most common of mistakes is as simple as leaving your laptop behind. In a survey 3,170 Laptops have been left behind in London, England. 655 laptops have been left behind in Munich, Germany and 349 in Bombay India. There are many ways to prevent laptop theft. This blog will address issues of laptop security from how they are being mistreated to step-by-step suggestions on how to prevent your laptop from being stolen. It will also outline strategies to protect your personal documents and your laptop from being attacked by viruses.