Laptop theft

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Laptop theft is a serious threat to users of mobile computers. Many methods to protect the data and to prevent theft have been developed, including alarms, laptop locks (such as the widespread Kensington lock standard), and visual deterrents such as STOP security plates that are hard or impossible to remove thus killing the resale value. Victims can lose hardware, software, and essential data that has not been backed up. Thieves also may have access to sensitive data and personal information. Some systems authorise access based on credentials stored on the laptop including MAC addresses, internet browser cookies, cryptographic keys and stored passwords.

With the onset of the information age, laptops have become an invaluable resource to individuals and companies everywhere. The nature of portable laptops allows users to be productive while allowing for mobility. However, laptop theft has been on the rise and as a result many organizations have found themselves victims of potential data breaches that affect their employees and customers, as well as their reputations. A stolen laptop often means loss of sensitive data that is stored on that machine, which is likely to lead to a risk of identity theft. According to the FBI, losses due to laptop theft totaled more than $6.7 million dollars in 2005. The Computer Science Institute/FBI Computer Crime & Security Survey found the average theft of a laptop to cost a company $89,000. For the last seven years, laptop theft has been found to cause the second highest amount of financial loss, second only to damage caused by viruses (2005 FBI Computer Crime Survey).

Depending on what is kept on a particular laptop, without proper security precautions a thief can easily get a hold of such information as personal bookkeeping files, Word documents containing passwords, addresses, as well as employee and customer information stored on company laptops. A number of security measures have emerged that aim at protecting intellectual data. Passwords provide a basic security measure for files stored on a laptop. A more advanced technological security option,Remote Laptop Security (RLS) is available to confidently secure data even when the laptop is not in the owner's possession. With Remote Laptop Security, the owner of a laptop can deny access rights to the stolen laptop from any computer with Internet access.

[edit] A run down of major laptop thefts in 2006

An unencrypted hard drive containing names, addresses and Social Security numbers of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) members was lost when it was shipped back to the organization by a computer repair company. Potentially 330000 members were affected.
A laptop that belonged to an Ernst & Young employee was stolen from a vehicle. The computer contained personal information of 243,000 Hotels.com customers.
Two Federal Trade Commission laptops were stolen out of a locked car when staff attorneys took them home to work on a lawsuit. As a result, names, addresses and Social Security numbers of 110 people were exposed to thieves.
American International Group, a major insurance company, became responsible for private data of 970,000 potential customers when their file server and several laptop computers were stolen from its Midwest offices.
An Equifax Inc., company laptop was stolen from a travelling employee. Information compromised included employee names and Social Security numbers.
13,000 District of Columbia employees and retirees were put in danger of identity theft when a laptop belonging ING U.S. Financial Services was stolen from an employee’s home.
A laptop containing debit card information and Social Security numbers of 65,000 persons was stolen from YMCA’s seemingly safe administrative offices.
Personal data of 26.5 million U.S. veterans was on a laptop taken from the home of a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs employee.
Four laptop computers containing names, Social Security numbers, and addresses of 72,000 customers were stolen from the Medicaid insurance provider Buckeye Community Health Plan.
A Boeing employee’s laptop was grabbed at an airport, compromising 3,600 employees Social Security numbers, addresses and phone numbers.

[edit] Tips for preventing laptop theft

Keep your laptop in an inconspicuous case. Flashy cases expose your computer by attracting thieves’ attention. A simple padded messenger bag can suffice as a protective container.
Protect information stored on the laptop with a secure password. It should consist of a combination of numbers and upper and lower-case letters.
Implement advanced security measures such as Remote Laptop Security and laptop encryption.
Make use of such security measures as locks and cables. These security devices make theft more difficult and thereby discourage thieves from taking your machine.
When leaving a laptop in the office, make sure it is hidden and secured.
Be sure that all important data contained on the laptop is backed up.
When using a laptop for meetings or conferences, always keep it in your sight. Do not leave the room without taking the laptop with you.