Laptop security

Don't leave it in the lap of the gods

Your laptop is stolen. You have two options. Either the thief has access to all your data, your login password and your wireless internet settings - or they don't. Which would you prefer?

Of course, you can't make the choice after the wretched thing has been nicked.

"I can't think of a big organisation that hasn't lost some laptops," says Ken Munro, MD of SecureTest, a penetration testing company.

Casual theft isn't the only risk. A criminal can even look up the names of directors at Companies House, go to the Electoral Roll and get addresses, and then steal to order.

The weakest link

Laptops are often the weakest link in the security chain, according to Munro:

In other words, without proper protection, if they own your laptop, they own your data. Game over!

Proper protection

So what does a properly protected laptop look like?

A sterling tip

Encryption is vital. Although it is a bit fiddly to set up at first, it means that if your laptop is nicked, there are virtually no consequences apart from an insurance claim.

Take a minute to think about what happens when an employee does lose a laptop. The best setup is that you have a 24/7 reporting number so that accounts can be locked quickly to stop a thief getting into your business. If employees know that there will be no consequences providing they report a loss promptly, you will end up with more security.

Munro has one final tip which is both simple and effective. When choosing passwords, he recommends including a Pound or Euro sign. Why? Because most hacking tools are written in America and assume everyone has a US keyboard!

What next?